Dangerous Returns
by Vance McGill
Summary: AU. Three years after their deaths, James and Lily mysteriously appear in the ruins of their Godric's Hollow home exactly as they left. They try to pick up the pieces, but that might be a little difficult when everyone thinks they are dead. Includes whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse characters in the story.
1. The Return

**Title**: Dangerous Returns  
**Summary**: AU. Three years after their deaths, James and Lily mysteriously appear in the ruins of their Godric's Hollow home exactly as they left. They try to pick up the pieces, but that might be a little difficult when everyone thinks they are dead. Includes whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse characters in the story.**  
****Rating**: T  
**Warnings**: Alternate Universe, James and Lily are alive, Dangerverse  
**Ships**: (OC may refer to Dangerverse characters): James/Lily, Remus/OC, Sirius/OC, others

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

**Author's Note**: This story includes characters from whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse series. If you have not read that series, this might confuse you.  
**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 1****  
****The Return****  
****  
**__

_Why am I here today? Oh yes, because it is the one good constant I have in my life. If you can call it "good"._

As a cool autumnal breeze brushed past him, Remus Lupin shrugged into his jacket, and he started off down the cobbled road he had been down many times before.

It was the early afternoon hours of October 31st, 1984. To most people in the world, it was Halloween. To a large number of a special sort of people in England, it was a day of celebration, an anniversary of sorts. To Remus Lupin, it was the anniversary of the day three of his best friends were murdered.

_Three years ago__, I had friends. I had what amounted to a family. I had work – it was dangerous, sure, but what isn't? I had a purpose in life._

_And then, in the space of two days – gone. All of it. Three people I loved dead. Another one a traitor and locked up forever. And the last one hidden away where no one will find him._

_No one including me.__  
__  
_There were days in Remus' life where he truly thought of letting it all go. Of ending everything. It would have only been too easy. But there was always a voice in the back of his head, a voice that sounded a lot like that of his dead best friend, James Potter, telling him not to do it.

_Usually I listen to you, Prongs. These days I'm not sure if I can do it anymore.__  
__  
_Remus sighed and looked up at the sky.

_Tomorrow is full moon. It would only be too easy. I could__ call the local authorities just before sunset and report a rabid __animal on my property. Then I'd__ leave the door open._

_End of problem._

_End of everything._

* * *

No matter how good one particular constant in his life was, this was definitely not one of Remus Lupin's better days.

But fate, as it so often does, was about to play a trick on him...

* * *

__With these thoughts in his head, Remus walked down the road toward his destination. He was not at all surprised to see that there was already a small crowd there. They were not the first and wouldn't be the last, not on this particular day.

If Muggles – non-magic folk – had walked or driven by this group of people, they would have wondered why the crowd were gathered around an empty plot of land between a couple of houses. In reality, the plot of land was not empty, only enchanted. On this plot of land lay a house, once a normal house like all the others beside and around it. But now, it was in ruins. Brambles and vines grew over the wooden fence that separated the house from the on-lookers. The lawn had large weeds and dirt mounds in places. Just beyond the yard, the large two-leveled house lay. It would look like a normal house, if not for the rotting wood, weathered from the three years of disuse and disdain; nor for the large hole on the right side of the roof.

The house had once belonged to James and Lily Potter, and their infant son, Harry.

_For a memorial, you'd think it would look better, _Remus thought,_ But no one bothers to __do __maintenance. Even if they had wanted to, it would be impossible – it is cursed land. That is what Dark magic does. It curses everything.__  
__  
_Remus swallowed as his eyes fell on the large hole, and he tore his sight away from it and looked around at the crowd. He wondered if he would recognize anyone this year. For the past three years, there was usually one or two he could count on being there.

For example, Hestia Jones or Dedalus Diggle, two fellow members of an old group Remus had been a part of. Like him, they were some of the few survivors who had actually participated in the Great War. But they weren't present. Perhaps they would come by later.

However, Hestia and Dedalus were not as close to the Potters as some were. Remus was one of their best friends. One of their only best friends that was still living today.

_Letha's not here either. Didn't expect her to be.__  
__  
_Remus had lost touch with Aletha Carina Freeman, best friend of Lily Potter, and one of her bridesmaids, shortly after that fateful Halloween three years before.

_Can't blame her. I would only remind her of her best friend and of the man she once loved.__  
__  
_Remus' throat constricted as he thought of Sirius Black, Aletha's boyfriend before that Halloween night.

And his one-time good friend.

_It is funny how you think you know somebody, and then everything you knew goes up in smoke and flames just like that. __  
__  
_"- heard their son lives with Muggles now –"

"Aye. Probably across the pond with the Yanks."

"Heard he's being brought up Muggle. Can you believe that? The Boy-Who-Lived being brought up Muggle?"

Remus scoffed, and averted his eyes quickly, when the people who had spoken up looked back at him.

_Rumors. Always rumors. Just once I would like to hear solid evidence of where Harry might be. Albus Dumbledore knows, of course, but he won't tell me. Suspect it is because he thinks I'd kidnap the boy.__  
__  
You _would _kidnap the boy, Remus, _a voice said in the back of his head, _He's the only connection you have to your best friend. The only proof he ever lived.__  
__  
Ridiculous. Even if I could kidnap him, I wouldn't. How could I take care of him? If the house I own hadn't already been paid for, I'd have been kicked out ages ago. Can barely afford to keep it, as it is. Oh, yes, and let us not forget my 'furry little problem'. __  
__  
_Still, the thought of seeing Harry, of having the boy in his life again, of having that connection to his friends in his life again… he had to admit it was something he had longed for. Something he had wished for.

Remus scoffed and once again, turned his eyes to the sky.

_Prongs, my friend, what would you say if you could see me now?__  
__  
_He brushed a tear from his eye, knowing he would never get an answer to that question.

_Why am I even here? _he thought, not for the first time that day, _I just need to go to the cemetery, say my final goodbye and then be off. __Tomorrow it won't matter anymore. After tomorrow, nothing will matter. Not for me anyway.__  
__  
_But as he turned, a strong breeze blew past him, toward the Potter house. The window shutters and screen door fluttered in the breeze. Remus felt an odd shiver run down his body as he stared blankly at the window shutters.

As much as he wanted to move his feet, something inside his mind was telling him to stay there for just a few more minutes…

* * *

He inhaled a deep breath, as if it was the first breath of life, and exhaled, then opened his eyes. To his amazement, he could see dimly, though one eye's vision was clouded and covered in cracks.

_Broke my glasses. Not a surprise, after...__  
__  
_After what? He couldn't immediately remember. He groaned as he tried to sit up, but every part of him seemed to ache. He decided to focus on the present, what he knew at the moment. He was currently on one of the steps of the stairwell that led from the entranceway of his home, to the second level of the house. Natural light poured in from somewhere, and he didn't know if it was morning or afternoon.

_Had I slept through the night on these steps? I don't remember drinking anything last night and I haven't had a blackout that bad since…__  
__  
Well… since my days at Hogwarts._

As he planted a hand on the wooden step beside him, instead of a dull thud of wood, his hand landed on a thick coat of dust and grime. He looked down at the stairs, and saw that they looked filthy. Dust, dirt and mildew.

_What..? This does not make sense. It looks old and…__  
__  
_James Potter's thoughts stopped on the word "dead", and his last memories came back in a rush…

He could remember the aroma of dinner in the oven. Lily telling him to get the pork chops out of the oven while she put Harry to sleep for the night. He remembered walking out of the living room, to head into the kitchen when the front door had burst open… a man, skeletal, pale, eyes gleaming red, bursting in to the house, his wand pointed forward.

_"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"_

He could remember running toward the stairs, making it up the first two steps and then…

Nothingness. A dark black nothingness. Brief… or was it long? Never-ending?

James shook his head as he came back to reality, and it was as if his breath had once again been taken away from him as he remembered…

_Lily! Harry!__  
__  
_He pushed himself to his feet, turned and hurried up the stairs.

"Lily!" he called out, frantically, "Can you hear me?! Harry!"

He turned to Harry's bedroom, and found a horrible sight. The door had been knocked off its hinges, now laid sprawled out, halfway in the bedroom, halfway out in the hallway. A large hole in the roof opened the room to the elements, as a cool breeze blew into the room. Across the room, the wooden crib was a pile of sticks and debris, and nearby…

James' heart sank as he saw Lily Potter sprawled out on the floor, eyes closed, hair splayed out like blood.

"Lily!" James cried out, and bounded across the room over to her, "No, no, no!"

Immediately, he kneeled next to her, his hand grasping at her closest wrist, praying…

And then she gasped and lifted her head.

"Oh, thank Merlin," James sighed, in relief.

He pushed her gently to her side, as she coughed, and gasped, trying to bring in more air. When she was finished coughing, she turned and looked at him, a smile curling her lips. James grasped her in a hug as tears sprang to his eyes.

"Wh-why is it so—cold?" Lily said, her voice and body shivering, "I'm dead, aren't I?"

"What?" James asked, "No, of course you're not dead –"

"He killed me. I jumped in front of the Killing Curse. I'm dead," Lily said.

"It is cold because there is a very large hole in the roof," James said, "Over there, above –"

Then he remembered he wasn't just looking for his wife. He let go of her and crawled frantically across the room over to the debris that was once his son's crib.

"Harry!" James said, as he threw twigs of wood around, "Harry –"

"James –"

"He's not –" James cried out, "He's not here, Lily!"

"James!" Lily growled.

James stopped and turned to his wife. She was now sitting up, looking at him.

"We'll find him, sweetheart," Lily said, in a soothing tone.

"You don't think -!" James said, "Lily, you don't think _he –"__  
__  
_"If he did, we'll find him," Lily said.

"Lily, the prophecy," James said, "If _he _found Harry, you know what he'd do. Harry could be –"

"We don't know that, James," Lily said, firmly, as she crawled over to James and took his arm, "We'll find him. I have faith. We're not dead, right?"

"I-I don't think so," James said, as he looked around, "Unless this is somebody's joke of an afterlife. I know I wouldn't be in the ruins of my home if I was in the afterlife. Not even in hell –"

"You wouldn't go to hell, love," Lily said, with a small chuckle, "So if we aren't dead – and I'm pretty sure that was a Killing Curse coming at me – then I have faith Harry is alive."

"Why – why aren't you scared?" James asked, "Why aren't you – why -?"

"I was always the cool-headed one between the two of us," Lily said, "And I told you, I have faith that it will all be fine. Now, let's find our wands and figure out what is going on."

It didn't take long to find Lily's wand. It was under the fallen door, miraculously still in one piece. Lily summoned James wand, and they slowly made their way downstairs.

"Everything looks… dead," James said, as he looked in the living room, "Are you sure we're not –?"

"I think we'd know if we were dead, James," Lily said, as she walked over to one of the chairs and started searching for something.

"What are you looking for?" James asked, "We should be out looking for Harry!"

"One of our Order coins," Lily said, "Fast communication, faster than a Patronus messenger, and I'm not sure if I could summon a Patronus right now… you?"

"No, no, good idea," James said, as he walked over to the couch, "I'll search over here – why the hell were they made with Anti-Summoning Charms?"

"Death Eaters could take them from us and use them to find everyone," Lily said.

"Right," James said.

As James searched the couch, his eyes alerted him to movement in the window. He poked his fingers through the shade, and saw a couple people outside staring at the house.

"What on Earth..?" James asked.

"What?" Lily asked.

"There's people outside," James said, "Staring at the house."

"Death Eaters?" Lily asked, "Think they know we're in here. Do you recognize anyone?"

"No, I..." James said, then his eyes went toward one particular figure, who was walking away, "Wait... is that… Moony?"

"What?!" Lily asked again, and soon she, too was at the window, "Where?"

"There – his back's turned, he's walking down the street," James said.

"I see him – no, that man looks different," Lily said, "Older… maybe."

"I think I'd recognize one of my best friends anywhere, Lily!" James said, "It's him!"

He moved to head toward the front door, when Lily's arm grabbed his own.

"What?" James asked.

"Those could be Death Eaters scouting the house for Order members after the attack last night!" Lily hissed, "That could be someone under Polyjuice!"

"It could also be Remus!" James said, "He might know where Harry is! I have to –"

"James, no!" Lily growled, "Too dangerous –!"

James readied a retort to his wife, when a thought came to his mind.

"Stay here, Lily," James said, "I think I know a way to know if it really is him, without alerting those others."

Before Lily could respond, James was making his way to the back of the house.

* * *

A few minutes later, his hands shoved in his coat pockets, as another breeze blew past him, Remus Lupin made his way past the kissing gate and into the cemetery. He had not been here in many months – in fact it had been James' birthday, in late March when he had last come to pay his respects to his best friend.

_I remember when I'd come out here once a month for those first few months after everything happened. Now it is just once or twice a year. About all I can handle now. Too many memories – good and bad.__  
__  
__To think, this could very well be the last time I come here, if…__  
__  
_He swallowed back those thoughts as he looked around. A few of the crowd that had been in front of the Potter's house were now in the cemetery. A couple others were nearby at the monument of James, Lily, and baby Harry, which had been put up on the first anniversary of James and Lily's deaths.

_Bloody tourist trap is all it is these days. How many of these people truly knew James and Lily? Had ever spoken to them long enough to know who they were, what they cared about…? Seems like I'm the only one.__  
__  
_As these thoughts went through his head, his feet made their familiar journey across the small graveyard over to their destination. Aware that he was probably being watched by onlookers, but didn't want to know who was looking at him, he looked down at the smooth white marble headstone, and over the familiar wording he had now memorized, as if it was etched forever in his mind.

JAMES POTTER  
BORN 27 MARCH 1960  
DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981

LILY POTTER  
BORN 30 JANUARY 1960  
DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981

_The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.__  
__  
_His mind went back to James and Lily's funeral. It definitely hadn't been one of the best moments of his life. The whole funeral was nothing special at all.

_Damned vultures of the Daily Prophet hording over everything. It was hard to get a moment's peace. Not to mention the closed caskets Albus Dumbledore insisted on. Nobody, not even close friends – there had been no family present – James and Lily's parents were all dead, and Lily's only sister had not cared for her at all – had been able to look up on the faces one last time. __  
__  
_Remus shook his head as if trying to rid his mind of the memories of that day. He once again looked down at the headstone and sighed deeply.

"Well, here we are again," Remus whispered, so that only he – and perhaps James and Lily somewhere in the heavens above - could hear what he had to say, "Another Halloween day, another visit. I didn't really have a speech thought out when I came here today. There are times when I'm not even sure why I come out here anymore. Especially on this day. The day everything good in my life ceased to exist. You don't know what it is like down here anymore, Prongs. 'Oh, the wizarding world is rejoicing, He-Who-Must-Be-Named is gone, hooray.' You know what it was like for me? I'm sure I've told you this all before. That first - transformation – after you were gone – I didn't even know if I was going to _survive_! You, and Wormtail and –" Remus swallowed – "Padfoot – had been there for my transformations for as long as I could remember, and then suddenly… you weren't. Not anymore. I hadn't felt that lonely in _years. _And I hoped, _hoped, _that loneliness would go away, but it hasn't. I'm alone, Prongs. Every day, I feel like – like I'm five again, locked in my basement waiting out my transformation. Like I'm eleven again, in the Shrieking Shack."

_I'll be damned if this doesn't sound like a bloody suicide note. __  
__  
_Remus laughed, humorlessly.

"You probably know exactly what this sounds like, Prongs," he said, "Or if you don't, then Lily does. I guess I don't have to tell you what I've very recently planned out, and even more recently decided, do I?"

_What you must think of me right now, old friend…__  
__  
_"I really hope there is something up there to go home too," Remus said, "Because if not – if I can't see you after this is all over, then what is this all worth? I just want to know that – I just want – I _need _to hear that answer from you. If I could just see you one last time –"

Remus froze, his whole body stiff.

What was that feeling he had just sensed? Like someone he had not seen in a long while was staring straight at him from nearby?

He slowly turned his head, and almost jumped out of his shoes.

A large, majestic stag was staring at him from the other side of the kissing gate of the cemetery.

_I have truly lost my mind.__  
__  
_

* * *

Meanwhile, in Little Whinging, Surrey, a woman was humming to herself as she washed the lunchtime dishes.

_Someday my prince will come__  
__Somed__ay __I__'ll find my love__  
__And how thrilling that moment will be__  
__When the prince of my dreams comes to me__  
__  
Yes, someday, _she thought, with a smile, _but probably not today.__ How long now have I been saying that? Many a moon, that's right…__ and I have yet to have any dreams of any princes. __  
__  
"_"Danger!" a little girl's voice squealed behind her, "Danger! Danger!"

_Anyone else got a response like that and they'd be really worried, _Gertrude "Danger" Granger thought, chuckling to herself as she turned around. _Lucky, for me it is just a nickname.__  
__  
_A little girl of just five years old stood there in the doorway between the entrance hall of the house and the kitchen, dressed in a long black dress and a long pointy black hat.

"I'm a witch, Danger!" Hermione Granger said, producing a star-tipped plastic "wand" around.

"I can see that, Neenie," Danger chuckled, using the name her sister adored, "But what are you doing in your costume already? Trick-or-treating isn't for a few hours now."

"Oh, let her have her fun, Gertie," Rose Granger, the matron of the family said, as she walked around her youngest daughter and into the kitchen, "It isn't everyday little girls get to be witches."

Danger scowled at her mother's nickname for her. _Danger is a fine nickname, Gertie is not!__  
__  
_"Yeah, _Gertie_!" Neenie said, pointing her wand at Danger.

"Oh, now you got _her _using that name!" Danger harrumphed, playfully glaring at her sister.

Rose chuckled. Neenie stuck out her tongue and retreated from the kitchen.

"Are you sure you want to take Neenie out trick-or-treating tonight?" Rose asked.

"Why wouldn't I, Mum?" Danger asked, "she's been looking forward to this all month. It would break her heart if -"

"I'm not saying that, dear," Rose said, "I mean – I could go with her this year. Don't you have somewhere else you could be? A Halloween party with friends or something?"

"Nope, nothing like that," Danger said, "Making magic with my little witch-sister sounds a fine idea with me. Why do you ask?"

"You're twenty-four, Gertrude," Rose said, "I thought you would have – well – somebody to go out with by now."

"You mean a boyfriend?" Danger asked,. "Mum, just because you and Daddy fell in love at a very young age, doesn't mean I have to."

"I know that, dear," Rose said, with a world-worry sigh, "I'm just worried for you."

"Don't be, Mum," Danger said, "Someday –"

"My prince will come," Danger, Rose, and a new voice said all at the same time.

"Hi, Daddy," Danger said, as her father entered the room.

"Hello, my Dangerous girl," David Granger said, "I just had to dodge one of your sister's 'hexes'."

"Bibbidy-bobbidy-boo?" Danger guessed, chuckling.

"Yep," David said, with a smile, "Your mother playing Cupid again?"

"She's _trying _to," Danger said, glaring at her mother, who immediately took on an innocent expression, "This family has enough love to go around as it is. I am very happy to go trick-or-treating with my sister, and let you two have a couple's night. How long has it been since you two had one without us?"

"Oh, we couldn't possibly go out somewhere," Rose said.

"You don't have to," Danger said, "I'll make dinner. Nobody says 'no' to my peanut-butter pasta, you know!"

"You are too good for us," David said, "What would we ever do without you?"

Danger smiled. "Now go on. Let me get my work done."

"Come on, Rose, dear," David said, "Let's go find our little witch and make sure she hasn't vanished."

Rose smiled and followed her husband out of the kitchen. Danger returned to her work and hummed once again.

_Someday my prince will come__  
__Someday we'll meet again__  
__And away to his castle we'll go__  
__To be happy forever I know__  
__Someday when spring is here__  
__We'll find our love anew__  
__And the birds will sing and wedding __bells will ring__  
__Someday when my dreams come tru__e__  
__  
_

* * *

__**First chapter finished! ****  
****  
Next chapter, Remus gets the shock of his life,**** James and Lily get the shock of their lives,**** and Danger and Neenie go trick-or-treating and get the shock of their lives. Also, to those of you ****who are ****wondering, Harry will show up soon, probably in a couple of chapters!****And yes, the reason for James and Lily's return will be explained sometime.****  
****  
To those Dangerverse fans, ****some of this may be familiar to you. You will probably know that in this Verse, the Grangers lived rather close to Harry and the Dursleys. Also, ****how do you think I've ha****n****dled Danger so far? ****  
****  
****Also some facts from the Dangerverse are of course different in this story. As you can see, Da****n****ger's parents are alive in this chapter, and Danger does not have her magic**** or her dreams**** yet. Danger and Remus have not met… yet.**** All of that will change soon.****Also, ****Hermione Granger is her age in canon, and**** Meghan Black will be ****a li****t****tle ****older than she is in the Dangerverse saga.****  
****  
More to come!****  
****  
Once again, thank you to Anne B. Walsh (aka **_**whydoyouneedtoknow) **_**for a****llowing me to use her characters!****  
****  
Danger was humming and singing "Someday my prince will come" from the classic "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves".**

**Additional Note for my Bonds of Time readers: Check my profile page soon for updates.**_  
_


	2. Revelations

**Chapter 2  
****Revelations**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

**Author's Note:**This chapter begins right after Remus' PoV in the previous chapter ended. Too much happens in this chapter, so Danger and Neenie won't return until the next chapter.

* * *

Remus Lupin closed his eyes and turned his head back toward the headstone marking James and Lily's graves.

_I did not just see a large stag. When I look again, it will be gone. __  
__  
_He slowly opened his eyes and looked back in the direction of the kissing gate. The stag was still standing there, staring at him. Then a moment later, it shook its head, turned around and ran off down the road.

"Wait!" Remus screamed, not exactly sure why he did so, and frightening the others present.

Remus ignored the exclaims of "my word!" and "such disrespect!" as he ran past the witches and wizards toward the kissing gate. He sped on through the open gates and frantically looked around for the stag.

_Please come back, _he begged,_ I must know. It is impossible, but I must know…__  
__  
_Then he saw the stag standing tall at the edge of the forest, where the cobbled road turned from the main part of Godric's Hollow that included the cemetery, into the section of houses that included James and Lily's house. The stag bowed its head, then once again took off into the forest.

"Wait!" Remus screamed once again.

He took off toward the forest, breathing hard and running as fast as his feet and wolf-like stamina could carry him. Soon he was standing at the spot he had last seen the stag and looked around, trying to find any sign of the large animal.

_This is insane! _a voice screamed in the back of Remus' mind,_ What are you doing, Remus? Chasing a wild animal into the woods like that!__  
__  
I must know! _Remus screamed internally, _This is a sign. A sign I was praying for. __  
__  
But it is a wild animal! _

_It might not be… and if it is… __I don't care__._ _I__f it is just a wild animal, then let it kill me. It would be so much better than letting someone shoot me when I'm a wolf.__  
__  
__You are insane!_

He ignored the voice in his mind and looked around. Then he saw it. The stag was standing a little ways inside the forest, and when it saw him, it turned and ran through the trees.

"Wait!" Remus said once again.

He ran through the forest, madly looking around for the stag. Moving at any sort of fast pace was difficult, because the forest was thick with weeds, brambles and thorny bushes.

_This would be so much easier, _Remus grunted, as he nearly tripped over a hidden tree root in the ground, _if I was in my wolf form.__  
__  
_Remus chuckled humorlessly to himself.

_I _must_ be goin__g insane if I am wishing to be the__ wolf.__  
__  
_Remus looked around for the stag and now found him off in the distance, once again near the edge of the forest.

_How on earth is he moving so quickly?__  
__  
One word, _the voice in his head said, _an illusion! A figment of your imagination!__  
__  
_Remus, once again, ignored the voice in his mind and hurried off as fast as he could toward where the stag had been. When he reached the spot at the edge of the forest, he was absolutely surprised where he had ended up.

He was now directly behind James and Lily's house.

He looked around for any sign of the stag, but came upon something just as odd: the back door of the house was wide-open.

_Nobody has been inside that house in nearly three year__s. As far as I know, i__t was supposed to be off-limits until a __r__e__lation of James and Lily Potter, or Albus Dumbledore himself, gave permission to go inside. I doubt it is Albus, and the only Potter is much too young to give permission! Nobody could have broken through those charms…__  
__  
_Remus stared at the open door for another few moments, before he steeled his nerves, and took his wand from his coat. He nervously spun his wand in his hand, then nodded.

_Here goes nothing, _he said, and headed toward the open door.

When he reached the door, he gingerly stuck a foot in. He flinched, expecting to be hit with a hex or curse of some kind, but nothing happened. He inhaled and exhaled, then walked inside the house.

He had never been inside this house before. James, Lily and Harry had been living in Potter Manor in Northampton – once owned by James parents', Charlus and Dorea Potter, before they were tragically murdered by Death Eaters – for a year prior, and a few months after, Harry's birth, before they had been moved after a threat had been placed on them. Potter Manor had since been destroyed by Death Eaters, who had searched there for the Potters a couple weeks after they had been moved. Potter Manor had been where Remus had gone for visits, meals and parties. He didn't know about this house in Godric's Hollow until the day after James and Lily's murders.

Harry's first Christmas had been the last time Remus had seen the Potters face-to-face. Owl post had been Remus' only way of communication with the Potters for those last going-on eleven months of James and Lily's life.

_Even then it was rare I got a letter from them… of course I was busy doing stuff for the Order then. For many weeks, I was almost literally underground with the werewolves._

Remus snapped out of his reverie and looked around the room he had entered. The back door had led into the kitchen-slash-dining room. Remus pointed his wand directly forward and looked around. The room was dimly lit, due to the afternoon light shining through the grimy windows. But he dared not use the Light spell to brighten everything up, just in case it gave away his presence.

Across the room, he saw a door leading into a hallway. He was about to move toward it when he heard a voice coming from the other side of the northern wall of the room.

"—haven't run like that in ages!" a male voice said with a laugh, "Felt good!"

"Did you do what you wanted to do, or was it just a leisure stroll?" a female voice said.

"I do believe I did exactly what I wanted to do," the male voice said, "We'll see."

Remus froze for a moment as his mind went over the sound of the voices.

_If I didn't know better, I would have thought that sounded like – __  
__  
_He shook his head. _I must be going crazy. They are vandals, that is all. They somehow got past the charms, and they are going to pay for breaking into this house. Wrong house, wrong day, assholes.__  
__  
_He steeled himself once again, went over various hexes and curses in his mind he could use on these vandals, and slowly headed toward the arched door that led into the hallway.

"Are you still looking for those coins?" the male voice said, as Remus heard movement and rummaging coming from the living room.

"I have to," the female voice said, "If your plan, didn't work, mine has to, or we will never find him."

"We will find him," the male voice said, "I promise."

"Oh, now it is you promising me?" the female voice said, "Wasn't it me who was promising you, just a few minutes ago?"

"That run gave me a sense of faith," the male voice said.

_So they are searching for money, which will lead them to finding someone, _Remus thought, as he inched along the wall toward the archway that went into the room where the vandals currently were, _the only question is… why are they d__o__ing it here? I will find that out once I have them in my grasp. __  
__  
_When he arrived at his destination, he closed his eyes for a mere moment, readying himself, then with a curse on his lips, he turned into the room.

"Get your hands where I can see them and face me!" Remus growled, "I don't know how you got past the charms, but you picked the wrong house today!"

The two figures turned toward Remus and what he saw, he could not believe.

He _would not _believe it.

"Who are you?" Remus growled in a dangerous, deep voice, as he looked at the appearances of James and Lily Potter, "And where did you get those hairs you're using? Answer me now, or you will regret it."

"Moony?" the man asked,

"Remus, you're scaring me," the woman said.

"Stop it!" Remus growled, "I don't know how you know my name, or that name, but you are not James and Lily Potter. If you do not tell me who you are and what you are doing here -?"

"Remus, we are James and Lily Potter," the man said.

"LIAR!" Remus screamed, "Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!" the woman screamed, blocking Remus' Disarming Spell, then just as quick, "Stupefy!"

The next thing Remus saw was darkness.

* * *

Remus gasped and tried to move, but something was restraining him. He opened his eyes and looked down. He was currently sitting in chintz chair, ropes wrapped around his middle and arms.

"Let – me – go," Remus growled.

"Did you have to tie him up, James?" the woman's voice asked, "That wasn't very nice."

"He attacked us, Lily," the man said, "Or do you not remember Stunning him? I'm starting to think I was right about him."

"James Tiberius Potter, he would never betray you – us!" the woman said.

"He attacked us!" the man repeated.

_Oh, they're good, _Remus grunted,_ They know middle names, mannerisms. It is almost as if they really are -__  
__  
_Remus paused and looked up at the man and woman.

"This is impossible," Remus whispered, then much louder, "This is IMPOSSIBLE!"

"Oh, thank Merlin, you're awake," the woman said, "I was afraid you hit your head too hard when you fell. How is your head, Remus?"

"Why do you care?" Remus muttered.

"Remus John Lupin," the woman said, in a scolding tone, "You are my friend, of course I care!"

"I am not your friend," Remus growled, "because whoever you are, you are most certainly NOT LILY POTTER!"

"I most certainly am Lily Potter," the woman said, "Why would I not be?"

"BECAUSE JAMES AND LILY POTTER ARE DEAD!" Remus roared, trying his best to hold in the tears.

"Moony," the man said, "I know you've always tried your best to be the most serious – excuse the pun, Sirius, wherever you are at the moment – but you have never been this rude with your jokes."

"I am serious," Remus said.

"No, you are most certainly not Sirius," the man said, "Because if you were, Moony would curse you into next year if he caught you using Polyjuice Potion to be him. You are Remus John Lupin, also known as Moony of the Marauders, a werewolf. You were part of my men of honor, in my wedding, not my best man, because my wedding needed a better best man speech then something along the lines of the speech you gave the day we left Hogwarts. I'm sorry, Moony, but it almost put several of us to sleep – OW! What, woman?"

The woman had just slapped the man on the back of the head.

"Don't be rude," she said, then looked at Remus. "Look at me, Remus. Who do you see?"

"Lily Potter," Remus grumbled. _Fate is being cruel if it is having me look into the face of James and Lily Potter after so long. Whoever they truly are, they are going to DIE! I've never bitten someone in my entire life, but I will chain them up and tomorrow I will rip… them… apart for what they are doing to me!__  
__  
_"Yes, Remus," the woman said, "Lily Potter, formerly Evans. The girl who put up with you for so long, and still likes you as a friend. The girl who decided you were friendly enough, even though you were situated with an arrogant toe-rag -"

"Hey!" the man said.

"— but so much nicer than him," the woman continued, ignoring the man's continued scoffing, "Lily Potter, the woman who, after she found out you were a werewolf, would not back down from being friends with you, even when you ignored me for TWO WHOLE WEEKS after I found out! Remus, who helped you pass your third year potions final? Who kept it quiet, because you begged her to, after she caught you give Marlene McKinnon a kiss after the Winter dance, fifth year?"

"What?" the man asked, "Remus, you never told me –"

"I… never told anyone that," Remus said as he stared at the woman. "Only two girls knew about that, and they're both –"

He looked from the woman to the man and tears nearly blinded him.

"J-James?" he asked, "Lily?"

"Finally!" James said, "Gee, Moony, I know you haven't seen us in months, but –"

"Months?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," James said "Last Christmas – Moony, you gave Harry that stuffed wolf, don't you remember? Man, Moony, these last few months without me have been hell on you, you look – different."

_Oh, bloody Merlin. They think it's -__  
__  
_Remus looked at James. "What do you think today's date is?"

"November 1st, 1981," James said.

Concern flooded Lily's face as she looked at Remus.

"What's today's date, Remus?" she asked.

"October 31st," Remus said, "in the year 1984."

"You're joking – ha! Nice one, Moony," James said, grinning, then his face slowly turned serious as he looked at Remus, who was currently frowning, "Right… mate?"

"No," Remus said, "You've been gone three years, P-Prongs."

Lily's hands slowly covered the lower half of her face as tears sprang to her eyes.

"But – it feels like I – went to sleep – last night and woke up today," James said.

"The world believed the two of you dead," Remus said, "Murdered by V-Voldemort himself. He targeted you and –"

"Harry!" Lily cried out, "Remus, he's not –"

"He's alive, Lily," Remus said.

Remus had never seen anyone look more happy and more relieved than the way James and Lily Potter looked right now.

"Where is he?" James asked, "If the world believed us dead, then Harry would be living with Sirius since he is Harry's godfather – why do you look like that, Moony?"

For Remus' expression was somewhere between sadness and anger. Sadness that his two friends didn't know the truth about Sirius Black, and anger toward Sirius Black.

"I think you better let me tell the whole story," he said.

"Well, sure," James said, "How about we take these bindings off first. That is… if you really believe we're telling the truth. I wouldn't want you to attack us again."

"Release me," Remus said, "As for that, I'm sorry, but –"

"You don't have to apologize," Lily said, as she waved her wand, and the ropes around Remus fell away, "you were obviously shocked. Now, tell us."

"Well, the story of that night three years ago, goes something like this," Remus said, "The details are shady, but all we know is somehow – somehow Harry survived the Killing Curse."

"What?!" James and Lily cried out.

"Albus tried to explain it to me," Remus said, before they could ask any more questions, "He said that something happened that night. Possibly old magic. He believes you, Lily, defended Harry…"

"I told Voldemort to kill me instead," Lily said, tears going down her cheeks, "He told me to stand aside, but I wouldn't."

"Sacrifice," Remus said, "I don't know how this can be explained, since you're here… but somehow your sacrifice protected Harry, and the curse rebounded off him and hit Voldemort. Voldemort disappeared that night."

"So the old bastard's finally dead?" James asked, grinning.

Remus frowned. "Dumbledore doesn't think so."

James swore.

"What happened next is confusing," Remus said, "I heard Sirius found Harry in his crib and rescued him from the house."

"So they do live together?" James asked.

"No," Remus said, "I guess Hagrid was here on Dumbledore's orders, and Sirius gave Harry to him. And then Hagrid went somewhere with Harry, but where, I have no clue. Dumbledore, nor Hagrid, are telling me anything. The on-going rumor, is that Harry's living with some Muggles somewhere."

"Why is he not living with his godfather?" James asked, "Sirius –"

"Why are you being so kind to Sirius' name right now, Prongs?" Remus asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" James asked, "He's my best friend."

"He betrayed you!" Remus said.

"What?!" James and Lily bellowed.

"Now hold on one second, Moony, Sirius would never betray me!" James said.

"How else do you explain how Voldemort found you, Prongs!" Remus said, "He was your Secret Keeper -!"

The look on James and Lily's faces almost knocked Remus flat on the floor.

_Something strange is going on here, and I don't mean the mysterious return of my two dead friends.__  
_  
"— wasn't he?" Remus asked.

"He originally was going to be," Lily said, " But he told us he would be the obvious choice. So he told us to choose Wormtail. So we did."

Remus could feel his stomach churning and he had to turn his head as he vomited onto the ground. James and Lily exclaimed. Remus groaned and Lily muttered a cleaning spell, and the vomit vanished.

"Remus, what's wrong?" Lily asked, as she conjured a glass and used the Aguamenti charm to add water into it, "You look sick."

Remus took the glass and gulped down the water, then gasped.

"S-Sirius is currently in Azkaban," Remus said.

"What?!" James and Lily asked, for the third time in less than half-an-hour.

"Ev-everyone thought he was your Secret Keeper," Remus said, "But he knew – of course he knew –"

"He knew what?" James asked, "Moony, you're not making any sense."

"It appears that shortly after Sirius handed off Harry to Hagrid," Remus said, "He went to go find Wormtail. The reports say that Sirius confronted Wormtail in a street. Wormtail apparently defended your name, accusing Sirius of betraying you, and then – what is the general story is Sirius blew up the street, and twelve Muggles were killed, plus Wormtail. All they found was his finger."

"Sirius did that?" James asked.

"Wormtail is… dead?" Lily asked.

"I-I'm not sure anymore," Remus said, answering them both, "Everything seems so upside down now. The only person who truly knows now has been in Azkaban ever since that night. Bartemius Crouch never even gave Sirius a trial. Just sentenced him to life in Azkaban."

"Poor Letha," Lily said, tears falling down her face, "What she must think of him –"

"I haven't heard from her in nearly three years," Remus said, "Three years this December."

"Well, we must do something about all of this," James said, "We need to find Harry, and correct the wrongs Sirius has been put through."

"James," Lily said, "If Sirius murdered –"

"He would never have done that to those Muggles, Lily!" James growled, "Wormtail, perhaps – if he felt he was getting justice, but not those Muggles!"

"Okay," Lily said, in a soothing tone, "We'll correct the wrongs."

"Don't know how much 'we' can do, right now, Tigerlily," Remus said, "News-flash, everyone thinks you are dead."

"So we'll correct that first!" James said.

"How?" Remus asked, "March into the Ministry? James, you and Lily are thought to have been dead, you cannot just waltz into the Ministry! They're going to believe like I originally believed, that you are using Polyjuice Potion! You'll be in a holding cell before you can say "we're back!', believe me!"

"Okay," James said, "So what do we do?"

"First things first," Remus said, "We need to get out of here. I'm sorry, you two, but this place has been the site of Dark Magic, I doubt we'll be able to restore it, and most of what you owned is probably trash now."

"All replaceable," Lily said, "At least everything that is irreplaceable is safe… and alive."

"You'll come home with me," Remus said, "We'll get you cleaned up and straightened up, and then I want to send a couple of letters. One to Aletha – because she needs to know what is going on with you two and Sirius. And the other to Professor Dumbledore. Between Harry's whereabouts, and whatever is going on with the two of you… something tells me he is behind it all."

* * *

**Somebody has some 'splaining to do!**

**Well, this chapter just kept getting longer and longer with everything, and well, if I fit everything else I had planned for Halloween into this chapter, it would be very long!****  
****  
Next chapter: We get a glimpse of Harry, ****and ****more than a glimpse of Petunia Dursley; Remus writes letters, and Danger and Neenie**** go trick-or-treating, then get the shock of their lives.****  
****  
More to come!**


	3. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**Chapter 3  
Something Wicked This Way Comes**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

**Author's Note:**For those Dangerverse readers keeping track, Danger's Little Whinging house address is different in this story. Fourteen Privet Drive, instead of Seventeen.

* * *

_What is this feeling so sudden and new?  
__I felt the moment I laid eyes on you  
__My pulse is rushing  
__My head is reeling  
__My face is flushing_

_Something wicked this way comes, indeed, _Danger mused, as she admired herself in her body-length mirror.

She was dressed as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, green face-paint and all.

_I wasn't going to dress up at all this year, but when I saw little Neenie in her witch costume, she inspired me.__ And what better witch to dress up as then the most wicked one herself?__  
__  
_A knock on her bedroom door interrupted Danger's musings, and she gave a wicked smile and crept over to her door. She slowly opened it and cackled evilly when she saw Neenie standing there. Neenie shrieked, then giggled when Danger knelt down and tickled her.

"Y-you scared me!" Neenie said, in between giggles.

"Then I guess my costume is good?"Danger asked, standing up straight again.

Neenie nodded. "Can we go? It is nearly five!."

Privet Drive and its surrounding neighborhoods had a Halloween tradition. Children around Neenie's age and younger, who had bedtimes usually when most of the other kids were out collecting candy would go around houses from five-to-seven Halloween evening.

"I'm not sure," Danger said, in a teasing tone, "I've heard there are some pretty scary costumes this year. Are you sure you won't get nightmares?"

Neenie nodded energetically. "No bad dreams. I promise."

"Okay, we'll go very soon," Danger said, "Go get your jack-o-lantern bucket."

"Can Harry come trick-or-treating with us?" Neenie asked.

Danger frowned. Harry Potter was a four-year old little boy who lived with his aunt, uncle and cousin down the street. Danger had babysat him many times over the last three years whenever the Dursleys would go out somewhere. The boy was shy, extremely skinny for his age, and those weren't the only problems Danger had come across.

_The way he gets whenever I try to touch him, or when I tell him it is time to go home. __The way h__e eats sometimes, it is like he__ hasn't eaten in days. And there is__ something very odd about his fear of closets and cupboards__...__  
_  
"We'll see what his Aunt says," Danger said, "Go find your bucket."

Danger watched as her sister ran down the hallway toward her own room. She frowned and shut the door, then leaned into it.

_I couldn't tell her I don't think there is a chance Petunia Dursley will let Harry come with us tonight. There is something about that woman I just can't get my head around. __  
__  
_Danger had tried to tell her parents her suspicions about possible child abuse in Harry's case, but David and Rose Granger always said it wasn't possible, that Vernon and Petunia Dursley were two wonderful people – best lawn in the neighborhood, go out of their way to help neighbors, or lend a cup of milk, or sugar - and people should be more like them.

_If people were more like that woman, then this world will definitely have gone to hell.__  
__  
But what could I possibly do about it? I have no proof, other than the antics of a little boy.__  
__  
_Danger sighed sadly, and walked over to her bed, where the tall, pointed black hat lay. She retrieved the hat, then stepped into her black heeled shoes and left the bedroom. Neenie was waiting energetically in the living room with their parents. The aroma of Danger's peanut-butter pasta dish wafted in from the kitchen.

"That dish should be done in just a few minutes," Danger said, to her mother, "Just let it sit for ten minutes after that."

"Danger, I've been cooking longer than you've been on this Earth," Rose said, "I think I know what to do. Now, go let your sister have her fun."

Danger smiled and nodded. There were sometimes when she forgot that she was a daughter and not the mother of the house. She had been nineteen, going on twenty, when Neenie was born. Most women her age would have gone to college, or started families of their own, but Danger knew that her parents would need help raising her sister, so she had decided to stay and help around the house. Ever since then she had almost been like a second mother to Neenie. Her parents had, in fact, named her Hermione's godmother.

_Every day, I pray to God the reasons to be a godparent will never have to come into play._

"Hermione, remember to say thank you to everyone who gives you candy," Rose said, "And stay in sight of your sister."

"I promise, Momma," Neenie said; her mother had used her full first name instead of her nickname and whenever her mother did that, she knew it was time to be serious.

Neenie hugged her mother and father, then hurried toward the front door. Danger hugged her father, then her mother.

"We'll be back in a couple of hours or so, depending on how many houses we go to," she said.

"You two have fun," David said, "Don't worry about us."

Danger smiled and headed toward the front door, then followed her sister out of the house.

"Harry's house first?" Neenie asked.

"You bet," Danger said, still unsure of what was about to happen.

_Hermione's going to be so disappointed if this doesn't go well. Harry's like a brother to her. __Her best friend since the day they met__. __If all goes well, maybe more later on in life.__  
__  
Or perhaps not…__  
__  
_The walk from Fourteen Privet Drive, to Four Privet Drive was familiar – Danger having taken this journey many times over the past three years - and took less than five minutes. When they arrived at the Dursley residence, they walked across the delicately-mown lawn and up to the front door. Danger rapped her knuckles on the front door, and tapped her foot nervously as she waited. Neenie looked up at her, a mix of curiosity, excitement and nervous expressions on her face. Danger smiled to calm her down and Neenie's expression turned to complete happiness once again.

A moment later, the door whipped open and Petunia Dursley, blonde hair, bony-cheeks and a rather thin physique ("my family was always the skinny-type, especially at Harry's age", she had said when Danger had once commented on Harry's figure) appeared in the door way.

"Come for candy?" Petunia asked, "a little early, isn't it? We don't have anything set out yet."

"Mrs. Dursley, it is me, Gertrude Granger," Danger said, "You probably couldn't tell with my make-up?"

"Oh, Miss Granger, how lovely to see you, dear," Petunia said, in a tone that reeked of poisonous honey – at least in Danger's opinion.

"You as well," Danger said, politely, "Neenie – Hermione and I, I mean, were wondering if Harry could come trick-or-treating with us."

Petunia's apparently-fake smile turned slightly downwards as she looked from Danger to Hermione.

"I-I'm sorry," Petunia said, "Er – Harry has a bit of a cold today. It is probably best he stays inside out of the chilly air. Vernon's going to be watching him while I take Dudders out trick-or-treating."

Danger frowned and caught the disappointment on Hermione's face.

"Oh, well… okay," Danger said, "Er… how about we come by later, and give him some candy? I'm sure he's really disappointed about being sick today of all days, and I wouldn't want him to miss out."

"Er… sure, sounds lovely," Petunia said, though her tone suggested different, "Now, if you excuse me, I need to help get Dudders in his costume."

Before Danger could reply, Petunia backed away and shut the door.

"I'm sorry, Neenie," Danger said, "Maybe next year. But if you want, when we babysit him soon, you can show him your costume?"

"Yeah," Neenie said, sadly.

"Well, come on," Danger said, "Let's go have some fun, huh?"

Neenie's frown turned into a small smile and Danger led her down the sidewalk.

* * *

Petunia Dursley turned up her nose as she looked out the living room window at the two girls' retreating figures.

_Hermione. Gertrude's "sister"._ Petunia snorted. _As if that's not the oldest trick in the book. If that child's her sister, I'm a toad.__ And such a travesty of those parents of hers hiding it all and claiming that little girl to be theirs. Miracle baby at Rose's age? Right. And I'm Queen Elizabeth hiding out in a posh little suburb in Surrey, ha!__  
__  
_"Mummy, where are my boxing gloves?" Dudley said in a whinging tone, from the hallway. "I can't be a boxer without my gloves!"

"Of course you can't, Dudders," Petunia said, her eyes still on the Grangers, as they crossed the street to Mrs. Figg's house, "Let's go look for them."

Petunia made her way back into the entrance hallway and froze when she saw _the boy _standing in the archway that separated the kitchen from the hallway.

"What?" Petunia grunted.

"Done with my bread and cheese, Aunt Petunia," the boy said.

"Oh?" Petunia asked, "And?"

"I-I was – may I have a piece of candy… please?" the boy asked.

"No!" Petunia snapped, "That candy is for the trick-or-treaters. Good little boys and girls. Not for you."

The boy frowned.

"Don't look at me like that," Petunia sniffed. _Swear the boy is retarded or something… _"If you even touch one piece of that candy, I will flog you a good one, you hear?"

The boy nodded, fright enlightening his eyes.

_Good. Freak should fear me.__  
__  
_"And just so you don't," Petunia said.

She grabbed the boy by his arm and dragged him, as he whinged and groaned, over to the cupboard under the stairs. She opened the door and pushed him inside.

"You'll stay there for the rest of the night," Petunia said, "Your uncle is out having dinner with Aunt Marge, and there will be no one else here when I take Dudders out for trick-or-treating. Now, be quiet and behave!"

The boy nodded frantically, and Petunia thought she saw a tear in one eye. She harrumphed and shut the door, then slid the latch on it, locking the door.

"_Muuum!" _Dudley whined, "Help me find my gloves!"

"Coming, Dudders," Petunia said, in a sing-song voice as she headed up the stairs.

* * *

While Danger and Hermione Granger were trick-or-treating, Remus and James and Lily Potter walked into the Lupin home at 17 Oxman Road, in a small town coincidentally just fifteen minutes from town of Little Whinging, where the Potters' son now resided.

"It isn't much," Remus said, as he shut the front door behind him, "But it's home."

"It's lovely," Lily said.

"Whatever happened to your parents' home?" James asked, "I'd have thought you'd be living there."

"Death Eaters burnt it down just a few months after you two and Harry went into hiding," Remus said, grimly, "I was doing a mission for the Order."

"You never told us that!" Lily said.

"I didn't want to worry you with something you couldn't do nothing about," Remus said, sheepishly, "This was my mother's family's house, already paid for so it was easy to decide to move in. Basement's perfect for my transformations – stone walls, and I installed a steel door almost as tough as a bank vault just in case the chains didn't hold. Speaking of… we need to decide what you're going to do tomorrow night."

"Full moon?" James asked.

"Indeed," Remus said, frowning, "But we won't worry about that just yet. I have to start on those letters. Bathroom is down the hall that leads from the kitchen, so you can get cleaned up. And I'm sure I can find some clothes for both of you. I'm sure something of mine will fit you James, and I have a few boxes of my mother's old clothes for you, Lily."

"Thank you, Remus," Lily said.

After Remus found clothes for the Potters, it was decided Lily would clean up first, so Remus and James went into the kitchen.

"This is all very… Muggle," James said, snickering as he admired the microwave.

"Muggle neighborhood," Remus said, as he searched for parchment, quills and ink, "I'm lucky there are so many dogs around here, or someone would get suspicious of my howling that the silencing charms don't muffle. I have some chicken thawing out in the fridge, if you think you can fry it up. Can you?"

"I know how to cook Muggle-style, Moony," James said, "Benefits of who I'm married to."

"Just one of the benefits, right?" Remus asked, with a grin, as he found what he was looking for and set it on the kitchen table.

James glared at Remus for a moment, then laughed and pounced at him with a bear-hug.

"Damn, it is good to see you, Moony," James said.

"Ye-yeah," Remus said, as tears sprang to his eyes and he sniffled.

James backed up and looked at Remus. "Something wrong?"

"Still oblivious as ever," Remus snorted as he backed away and sat down, "Prongs, for three years I thought you and Lily were dead, gone. And now…" Remus swallowed a sob, "you don't know what it's been like. What I've had to live with. The war may be over, but what do I have to show for it. Two of my best friends dead – or so I thought, which is just as bad - a man I thought was a friend, now I'm not so sure, probably dead, and a man, who was like a brother to me, hating him for the past three years, and now I find he is innocent! Not to mention the only connection I have to any of you is tucked away somewhere…"

Remus sighed and rolled one of the quills between his fingers. He could see tears in James' eyes.

"Now I am not sure what to think anymore," Remus said, a wry laugh escaping his throat.

_Earlier today, Prongs, I would have given anything to tell you what I had been planning for some time, how I had been debating taking my own life just because I needed to be with my friends, and now that you are here, I'm afraid to admit any of it. You'd probably yell at me and for good reason.__  
__  
_"Man, I'm sorry, mate," James said, "I guess I hadn't given it much thought."

"I don't blame you," Remus said._  
__  
_He looked at his friend, and for the first time noticed something very strange.

"My god," he breathed as he looked up and down James' figure.

"What?" James asked, alarmed.

"You do realize you look exactly like you did three years ago?" Remus asked, "Like you're twenty-two."

"I am twenty-two, mate," James said.

"Exactly!" Remus said, "But you were _born twenty-five years ago_! Your disappearance could be easily explained by hiding out for three years following the attack – though to do so without your son would raise questions – if you looked twenty-five, but you look like you did the day you –"

_The day he what? Died?__ He's still very much alive, it seems.__ Someone has some explaining to do, and I think I know exactly who.__  
__  
_"I don't know what to tell you, Moony," James said, "Lily and I already told you, we don't feel like three years have passed… we feel like only _hours _have passed since that _bastard _attacked us."

"The obvious explanation is time-travel, but three years in the future?" Remus asked, "Time-travel in the past is dangerous enough, but into the future has never been heard of! What if the world was no longer there…?"

"Mr. Prongs wants to tell Mr. Moony he thinks that is a frightening thought," James said.

"Mr. Moony wants to tell Mr. Prongs he agrees with him," Remus said, grinning.

James' mouth twitched and he laughed, which only made Remus laugh.

"Haven't done that in years!" James said.

Remus frowned. "You're telling me…"

James cleared his throat and sighed. "Yeah…"

He turned to the fridge, leaving Remus alone in his thoughts and his task of writing letters. Deciding he needed to put off Dumbledore's letter just a little longer, he started writing the other letter he had in mind.

_Aletha, __  
__  
I'm sure you are surprised to hear from me after so long, but this is extremely urgent. Could we possibly meet in the near future, perhaps at my own house – you might remember where I live, my address hasn't changed in three years. This has to do with Sirius Black and some information I recently received. Today is Wednesday, and as you probably know, and remember, tomorrow is Full Moon, and not exactly the best time for me. But this weekend, I'll be back on my feet. If you are free, I'd love to talk to you either Saturday or Sunday.__  
__  
Hope to hear from you,__  
__  
__Remus Lupin__  
__  
_He read over the letter again, decided it was fine, then pushed it aside and picked up a new piece of parchment, then began to write the second letter:

_Albus Dumbledore,__  
__  
Hello, my old friend. I know you are busy, what with it being the middle of the school-year, but if you are not busy, I have dire need to speak with you about some close friends of mine. These friends have heard good things about you, and are curious to meet you as well. If you accept a meeting, please respond with a date and time you feel would be acceptable to meet with me. I would, of course, meet with you at Hogwarts, unless you deem otherwise.__  
__  
Remus Lupin__  
__  
_Again, Remus read over the letter, then rolled up both pieces of parchment into tiny scrolls. He put two fingers to his lips and whistled. A moment later, a tiny Scops owl flew into the kitchen and perched itself on the chair near his.

"Is that an owl or a Quaffle?" James snickered

"I missed your humor, Prongs," Remus said, a thin smile crossing his lips, "This is Romulus, my closest friend and companion."

"What am I, chopped liver?" snorted James.

"Until a few hours ago…?" Remus asked, a smirk now crossing his lips.

A grim frown crossed James' lips. "Point."

"I thought so," Remus said, "Open the window please."

James did so and Remus tied the two scrolls to Romulus' leg.

"Okay, mate," Remus said, "I don't know where Letha is at the moment, but you've never failed to send a letter to its destination yet."

Romulus gave a small hoot.

"The other destination is Hogwarts," Remus said, "See you later, buddy."

Romulus gave Remus' finger an nip of affection, and flew off through the window. Remus sighed and looked at James, who was looking at him with a strange expression.

"What?" Remus asked.

James shrugged and turned back to the stove.

* * *

"I'm worried about Moony," James confessed to Lily.

It was an hour-and-a-half later, and James, Lily and Remus had just finished up a meal of fried chicken, croissants, and salad. Remus was now taking a shower, and James and Lily were curled up on the couch in the small living room. Both had showered, and dressed in clean clothes before dinner.

"He told me his closest friend and companion was his owl," James continued, "I haven't seen him that lonely since our first year at Hogwarts. I… I think the aftermath of the war, and his… condition… has turned him into a recluse."

"Big word," Lily teased.

"I'm serious, Tiger," James said, "and don't even start."

Lily rolled her eyes, then her expression went serious and thoughtful. "Well, it has apparently been three years since Voldemort's disappearance. Three years since we – since everything happened. I don't know what happened with the Order – I don't even want to know how few survived the war – and it seems Letha, Remus' one closest friend he had left up and left him. He _is _lonely. You know his condition never made him confident around girls. That one kiss with Marlene surprised even me."

"I _am _going to get that story out of one of you, you know," James said, grinning.

"Good luck with that, my love," Lily said, grinning, then once again her expression went serious, "We just need to help Remus. Now that he has us again, and sooner or later, Sirius will be back with us -"

"- and we can't forget Harry," James added, then muttered, "wherever he is."

"I never have and never will," Lily said, "Anyway, I'm sure the old Moony will come back. Give him time."

James nodded then delicately put his hands to Lily's cheeks and leaned in and kissed her. She chuckled and returned the kiss.

"I love you," James said, against her lips.

"Mmm, I love you too," Lily said, as she backed away, "and I promise we'll get Harry back soon."

"I know we will," James said, "I just keep thinking about where he might be. It seems the answer is obvious, like I will say 'well, duh!' when we find out."

"Do you –" Lily sniffed and made a swallowing noise, "Do you think he's forgotten us? It has apparently been three years. I'm sure he thinks we're dead –"

"It is hard to say what a four-year old little boy is thinking," James said, "Been quite a while since I was that age. But I'm sure he has not forgotten us. I'm sure he'll know who we are."

Lily sniffled and nodded, then leaned her head against James' chest.

"Yeah," she said, "Me too."

* * *

"Trick-or-treat!" Neenie said, when the door opened.

"Hermione Granger, is that you?" Patty Polkiss said, "What a lovely little witch you make!"

"Thank you," Neenie said, politely, as she took a small handful of candy and dropped it in her nearly-full bucket.

Mrs. Polkiss waved to Danger when she noticed her standing at the sidewalk on the border of the Polkiss' yard. Danger waved back politely, as Hermione hurried back across the sidewalk. The two sisters turned the corner, and had arrived back at Privet Drive.

"Good thing we're almost finished," Danger said, as she eyed Hermione's jack-o-lantern bucket, "You have quite a bit of candy there. Mum and Daddy are going to have a batch of kittens when they see all that sugary candy."

"Only half of it is for me," Neenie said, "Half of it is for Harry."

"I'm sure he'll love it, Neenie," Danger said.

_And if__ I get one inkling that__ that mad aunt of his does not let Harry have any of it, we'll save it for when he comes over. __Better we save it, instead of it ending up in that porker son's mouth of hers. I have never seen a little boy that big.__  
__  
_"Danger, look at that!" Neenie exclaimed, "Pretty Halloween firework!"

"Halloween... firework?" Danger asked.

Neenie was pointing in the sky, and Danger looked up and almost screamed. What looked like a giant green skull, with a snake protruding from its mouth, in a formation of green lights somehow, was shining in the sky.

Danger's eyes dropped completely south of the mysterious sign – it was directly above her house.

_Something is not right here!__  
__  
_"Neenie, we need to go home," Danger said, "We'll give Harry his candy later."

Neenie nodded frantically and Danger took her hand and hurried down the sidewalk toward her house. There was a crowd of people – young children who were out trick-or-treating, and their parents – hanging about around near the Granger house. When she arrived at the house with Neenie, Danger saw that the front door was wide open.

"Miss Granger?" a familiar elderly voice said.

Danger turned to the voice and saw it was Mrs. Figg, one of the neighbors from down the street.

"It is not a good idea for you to go inside, Miss Granger," Mrs. Figg, "I have alerted the proper authorities."

"Mrs. Figg, I must!" Danger said, "My parents!"

Mrs. Figg frowned, as she looked at Danger, then up at the mysterious sign.. "This is not a scene for someone like little Neenie here. I'll watch her for you."

Danger nodded and knelt down to Neenie.

"Danger, where's Mum and Daddy?" she asked, tears shining in her eyes.

"I'm going to go find them, Kitten," Danger said, using another nickname, one that usually soothed her, "You stay here with Mrs. Figg, yes?"

Neenie nodded. Danger hugged her, then stood up and looked at the house. She slowly walked toward the house, then in through the front door.

"Mum?" she called out, "Dad?"

Danger walked into the living room, and had to stop herself from screaming out loud. David and Rose Granger were laid out across the floor, near each other, looks of fright etched across their faces. It was clear that they were dead.

At the sight of her parents, Danger immediately felt a wave of dizziness claim her body and she sunk to the floor in a dead faint.

* * *

**I really hope I have done this ****last ****part justice, as well as what is coming up for Danger. Although the scene was never in the original Dangerverse saga, this is a very important moment in her life. **  
**  
If I teased next chapter it would spoil everything! So no teases this time!****  
****  
There is a very important tidbit here when it comes to Danger's house address. Maybe you have already figured it out?****  
****  
Hope you liked this chapter****!**


	4. What Dreams May Come

**Chapter 4  
What Dreams May Come**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

* * *

Danger opened her eyes, and looked around at her surroundings. She was no longer in her sitting room, but what she was in was probably somebody else's sitting room. Before she could take more than a glance around the room, she heard voices, as three people walked into the room.

One was a elderly man, dressed in the strangest get-up Danger had ever seen. He had a long, white beard, to match his long hair, and wore what appeared to be purple robes of some kind, with a long pointed hat to match it. Spectacles covered eyes that seemed to bear a twinkle in them.

Next, there was a beautiful young woman, probably just a couple years younger than Danger. She had long auburn hair, and bright emerald eyes. Standing next to her, was a young man, probably around the same age as the woman. He had dark black messy hair, horn-rimmed glasses. Unlike the elderly man, their attire was normal. Unless you counted the thin rod-like sticks sticking out of each of their jeans pockets.

_Something about that man looks familiar. But I have never seen him before. Why does he look so familiar?__  
__  
_"I'm sorry, James, Lily," the elderly man said, "I wish there was a better way to do this. But it seems this is the safest way to protect the two of you and your son. To cut you off from the rest of the world…"

"Albus, none of this is your fault," the man, James said, "It was that prophecy, and that bastard of an evil man. We must take this seriously."

"I agree," the woman, Lily said.

"Yes," the elderly man, Albus, said, a grim smile crossing his face, "Have you set a possible Secret Keeper for this location, as I asked of you?"

"We're going to talk to Sirius," James said, "I don't think he would decline."

"Good," Albus said, "Please know that only your Secret Keeper, and myself will be able to come here. No outside visitors. Your friends will have to write letters to you."

"Of course," Lily said, though Danger noticed she looked sad to accept that request.

"Now, I must be going " Albus said, "I am meeting with the Longbottoms shortly. My best wishes to you and yours. Please say hello to young Harry for me…"

_Harry? _Danger asked herself, _No, it is a coincidence…__  
__  
_James and Lily thanked Albus once again. Danger was forced to follow Albus as they walked out of the living room toward the next room. When they arrived at what looked like the front door of the house, Albus pulled out a thin stick-like rod, and pointed it into the living room, where James and Lily stood. Danger tried to speak, to warn the two of a possible attack, but nothing came. Albus muttered something under his breath, and a sudden flash of light blinded Danger and she closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, she was once again standing in the living room of the same house. James and Lily were there, as was a new man. He had long black hair and grey eyes, but Danger had to admit there was a handsome, if rebellious way about him.

"You want me to be Secret Keeper?" the young man asked.

"No better choice than you, Sirius," James said.

"Exactly!" Sirius said.

"So you'll do it?" James asked.

"I didn't mean that," Sirius said, "I said 'exactly' because while I am the best choice, I am the most obvious! Death Eaters would go for me first because I am your best friend! The obvious choice! And if they torture me – I'm sorry, James, I can't take that chance that I wouldn't say anything. You need to pick someone less obvious. Wormtail… he is who I would choose if I was in your place."

Another sudden flash of light blinded Danger, and when she could see again, she was yet again in the living room. Sirius was no longer there, and was replaced with a small, chubby timid looking man.

"Y-you'd p-pick me to be your Secret Keeper?" the man stammered, nervously.

"Nobody better," James said, though he looked doubtful, "You're the best choice, Peter."

"S-sure, I suppose," Peter said.

_There is something about this man I do not like, _Danger said.

Without warning, another flash of light blinded Danger. When she could see again, she was no longer in the sitting room, but now in a long, dark room with candelabras adorning the walls and tables. Peter was kneeling before a hooded man sitting in a chair in front of Peter. What little Danger could see of the man's face, it looked pale and thin.

"It is d-done, m-my Lord," Peter said, "Just like you said, James and Lily trusted m-me enough to be their Secret Keeper."

"Good," the hooded man said in a voice that sent chills down Danger's spine, "Leave me Wormtail, and I will call for you again when I need information from you. If everything works out, you will be rewarded."

"Th-thank you, my Lord!" Peter squeaked.

Another flash of light blinded Danger, and when she could see again, she was back in James and Lily's sitting room. James was walking into the sitting room.

"James, love, can you get the pork chops out of the oven?" Lily's voice called from somewhere above, "I need to put Harry down to sleep for the night."

"Yes, dear," James called.

Danger followed James back out of the sitting room, when all of a sudden, the front door burst open, and the pale, thin man barged in, holding a thin stick-like rod.  
"Lily, take Harry and go!" James yelled, "It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"

The man cackled, and James headed for the stairwell.

"Avada Kedavra!" the man hissed.

Danger screamed as James was hit and collapsed to the floor. She heard Lily's screams, as the man walked up the stairs. Danger stared at James, who was splayed out on the stairs, his eyes open in fright.

_Like my parents, _Danger realized,_ is this what happened to them?__  
__  
_And then there was a golden light surrounding James, and a moment later, his body was gone. Then there was another flash of light, blinding Danger. When she could see again, she was standing in the middle of a street. She could hear screaming around her. She was standing behind a man she recognized as Peter.

"WORMTAIL!" a voice screamed,

Danger saw Sirius at the other end of the road, running toward Peter.

"How could you, Sirius!" Peter said, "James and Lily! Your best friends! You betrayed them!"

"LIAR!" Sirius screamed.

"BOMBARDA!" Peter screamed.

It was if a cannon had gone off. The ground between Sirius and Peter opened up in a chasm. People around them hiding near cars and watching became victims as they fell in the chasm. Peter inhaled and exhaled and then screamed. Danger watched in horror as the man cut off one of his fingers, then vanished, leaving his clothes behind. Suddenly, Danger saw a small, brown mouse run out from under the clothes and toward a drainage hole, then disappear inside. At the other end of the road, Sirius looked on in wide, twitching eyes. Danger thought she heard him mutter the name "Aletha" before he collapsed to the ground.

_Aletha? Nah, that has to be a coincidence.__  
__  
_Then suddenly yet another flash of light appeared, and darkness claimed her again.

* * *

_A few minutes before…_  
_  
_Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was currently sitting at his desk in his office at the school. He was reading from a piece of parchment he had just been delivered, while the owl who sent it, a tiny Scops owl, sat perched on the edge of the desk.

_So Remus Lupin wants me to meet him and a couple of his close friends, _he mused with a chuckle,_With the Quidditch match on Saturday, that means __Hogsmeade visit on Sunday__, since last weekend was cancelled due to weather. The school is less crowde__d for a few hours. Yes, Sunday__ seems perfect…__  
__  
_As he wrote the reply letter to Remus Lupin, yet another owl flew into his office, carrying a red envelope.

_My, oh, my, who has sent me a Howler now? _Albus chuckled.

He finished the letter, then attached it to the Scops owl, who flew off. He then pointed his wand at the Howler, and it opened into a large red lips.

"DARK MARK ABOVE PRIVET DRIVE IN SURREY! COME IMMEDIATELY!"

Albus almost dropped his wand, as the Howler dropped to the floor and went still. One of his greatest fears had come true. He hoped beyond hope he was not too late. He stood and dashed over to his trusty companion, a phoenix named Fawkes.

"Privet Drive, immediately, my friend," he said, lending his arm.

Fawkes sang a tune and grabbed Albus' extended arm with a talon. Soon, Albus was in a tunnel of flame, though it did not harm him, nor did he feel any heat. A moment later, he was standing in the middle of Privet Drive. As soon as he arrived he looked up at the sky and found the infamous green skull-and-snake, a sign that had not been seen in three years. This sign always preceded ill news.

Dumbledore's eyes went south, and his eyebrows raised. The Dark Mark was not above Number Four Privet Drive, but above a house up the street, where a large crowd now inhabited outside on the street.

_My fears may have been for nothing tonight, _Albus thought, _Still, something is very wrong here. __  
__  
_"Thank you, friend," he said to Fawkes.

The bird sang a note, then disappeared. Albus hurried up toward the crowd, and as he neared it, he began to recognize several people there. A number of workers from the Obliviator Squad were talking to what appeared to be Muggles.

Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Bartemius Crouch, and Auror Alastor Moody, were standing near Arabella Figg and a little girl, who looked very distraught.

"I promised her sister I would take care until she returned!" Arabella said, firmly to the two men, "There will be no Obliviating this girl under my watch, you hear me Bartemius Crouch? I babysat you when you were a wee toddler, you better be listening to me! And you, Mad-Eye, why haven't you or anyone gone to see if this little girl's sister and her parents are okay?"

"Arabella," Crouch said, "Let us do our job."

"Then do it!" Arabella spat, "Oh, Albus, thank goodness!"

Crouch and Moody turned as Albus walked toward them.

"Pro-Professor, what are you doing here?" Crouch asked, surprised.

"Sightseeing," Albus said, then turned to Arabella, "I got your Howler. When you said Privet Drive, I thought – well, I am a bit relieved."

"Relieved!" Crouch spat, "Do you not see that Dark Mark!"

"Yes," Albus said, simply, then looked at the little girl, "How do you do, young lady? I would imagine this is your home?"

"Danger, my parents," the little girl said, her voice shaky.

"The danger has long passed, I do hope," Albus said.

"Danger is the nickname of her older sister, Albus," Arabella said, "Her name is Gertrude. She went inside a few minutes ago to search for her parents and they haven't come back out. And nobody else –" she glared at Crouch and Moody "—has gone in after her!"

"We were about to!" Crouch said, "We just arrived! We have to take care of these Muggle witnesses – including this little girl!"

"What is your name, young lady?" Albus asked the girl.

"Hermione Granger," the girl said, "But some people call me Neenie."

Albus' very large mind went back to a special book of his that contained names of students. He remembered once seeing a _Hermione Granger – Muggleborn. And the date…__  
__  
_"Would your birthday happen to be September 19th?" Albus asked.

"H-how do you know that?" Hermione gasped.

"Yes, how?" Crouch asked.

"She does not need to be Obliviated, Bartemius," Albus said.

"What?" Crouch asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means she is one of us, Bartemius Crouch," Mrs. Figg said, "My word, I would never have guessed."

Albus' eyes twinkled as he looked at Hermione. "Neenie, I will go find your sister and parents. Would you do me a favor and go with Mrs. Figg to her house, and we will find you soon."

"Yes," Hermione said.

Albus smiled, then walked past Crouch and Moody, then headed toward the house. When he arrived at the door, his eyes went to the number next to it.

_Fourteen Privet Drive. Could be confused with Four Privet Drive, perhaps? Could this have all been a sad error? Wrong house targeted?__  
__  
_With these grim thoughts in his mind, Albus walked into the house, and through into the living room. Three bodies were laying there. The two older figures both shown signs of the Killing Curse.

Albus heard a light moaning sound coming from the other figure and he knelt down immediately toward her. As he did, his eyes went wide at what he sensed. Powerful magic seemed to be radiating from the girl's aura.

_I wonder… is she a Muggleborn witch like her young sister… I do not recall ever knowing a Gertrude Granger at Hogwarts. Unless…__  
__  
_Albus' eyes went back to the two older figures.

_A great shock it must have been to see her parents laying on the floor like that. Enough to wake a latent magic that has not shown itself until now. How very interesting. It is a rare sight to behold, knowing a late-bloomer of magic. Most of them usually have __special powers, besides their magic, accompanying them to make up for what they had missed. Young Danger here could be an interesting young lady. I only wish __she had been a student of mine.__  
__  
_Danger groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Albus who looked down at her.

"You look familiar," Danger said, "Have we met?"

"I do believe I would remember meeting a fascinating young woman like you," Albus said, "May I help you sit up?"

Danger nodded, and Albus assisted her into a sitting position.

"Wh-what happened?" Danger asked, "I remember –"

Her eyes went wide and she turned her head.

"No!" she moaned, and cried out.

"I am sorry, Miss Granger," Albus said.

"I shouldn't have left them alone tonight," Danger said, "I went to take my – oh my god, Hermione!"

"It is okay," Albus said, "Hermione is currently at Arabella Figg's house – do you know her?"

Danger nodded.

"Good," Albus said, "We will go to her shortly. There are men outside ready to do what they must for your parents. They will be taken care of, I promise you."

Danger sniffled and nodded. "I'm ready to go to my sister."

Twenty minutes later, Albus walked out of one of the small bedrooms in Arabella Figg's house, having witnessed a heartfelt reunion between sisters. Now Albus suspected Danger was explaining to her little sister about their parents.

_Five years old. Much too young to lose her parents. But young enough to gain that childhood innocence back in time when it is needed.__  
__  
_Albus found Arabella sitting at her small kitchen table, drinking from a mug of tea.

"I have Calming Potion ready for the both of them, if it is needed," she said, when she saw him, "the poor dears. And you say young Hermione is a Muggleborn witch?"

"I remember every name in the Hogwarts Book," Albus said, "One of the gifts of being a Headmaster. She is there."

"But her sister?" Arabella asked.

"Her magic appeared when she collapsed after she found her parents in that sitting room," Albus said. "Further explorations, and we might discover the after-effects of her late magic. Broken dishes, broken windows, something."

"My parents hoped that I was a victim of latent magic," Arabella said, "But it never came. Always hated the term Squib."

"The muggle author Tolkien described a Squib as a firework in his books," Albus said, "That tells me that even Squibs can shine brightly, Arabella."

Arabella smiled softly. "Thank you for that, Albus."

She turned and looked at the wall, in the direction of the bedroom where the Grangers were currently at.

"What do you want me to do about them?" she asked, "And don't tell me 'nothing'. I know the number on that house the Grangers live at. Fourteen. It is what Four could be mistaken as if the culprit was as dumb as a doorknob, or had the wrong information."

"As sharp as always, Arabella," Albus sighed, "Yes, they were the victims of cruel fate. If I had to guess how this took place, I would say that the magic of the blood protection averted the culprits to attack another house instead of Harry's house. As for what to do about them… offer them to stay here, if you will. They may want to go back home, but they may want to avoid their house for a short while, it is all up to them."

"Aye, it is," Arabella said, "Hermione is a sweet child. I will allow shelter if they need it."

"Thank you," Albus said.

"Are you going to move the boy now?" Arabella asked.

Albus sighed deeply and frowned. "I'm not sure. He is protected due to his aunt's blood. I do believe I will leave him be, and hope something comes along."

"Leave him – leave him be?" Arabella asked, incredulously, "If not for some circumstance, he might very well be dead right now! Or his relatives might be!"

"Ah, yes," Albus said, "But he is not, because the protective enchantments protected him. I will set more enchantments, alarm charms perhaps so that I do not have to be alerted by a Howler the next time something happens."

Arabella snorted, but looked unapologetic. Albus chuckled as his eyes twinkled.

"I must be off," Albus said, "Please make sure the Grangers have my sympathies."

"Of course, Albus," Arabella said.

Albus bowed and stood up, then walked out of the house. As he walked down the sidewalk, back toward the pavement of Privet Drive, he gazed up Number Four Privet Drive.

_Would it be rude to say that I am oddly relieved such a terrible tragedy happened to another family because of a mistake, and as such, young Harry is still safe?__  
__  
Yes, I suppose it would be."__  
__  
_And with a silent crack, Albus Dumbledore vanished from Privet Drive, leaving only air behind him.

* * *

Tears dripped down Danger's face as she listened to Neenie's slow, calming breathing. Neenie was curled up against her, her arms wrapped around Danger.

It had been an hour since Danger had seen her parents' bodies, less than half-an-hour since she had to tell Hermione that their parents were gone and were not coming back. Mrs. Figg had come in ten minutes prior with hot chocolate, and told Danger it was laced with a calming medicine that would help Hermione get to sleep. Five minutes after she had finished the hot chocolate, Hermione was fast asleep. Danger had not moved an inch in the last five minutes.

_She has never dealt with death befo__re, _Danger thought as she delicately brushed a hand across Hermione's bushy hair_. She had read all kinds of books, but none that ever had much to do with the subject of death. __Nanna and Papa, our grandparents died ten years before she was born, and it was hard enough for me. __  
__  
My god, where would I be right now if it wasn't for Hermione? No family left. It was joyous news when we heard Mum was pregnant with her, but it wasn't planned at all. She was a surprise, a miracle. I was happy to be named godmother, but never before now did I think much on the implications of that title. I'm all she has left in the world now, and vice-versa. __  
__  
_Hermione moved involuntarily, and next thing Danger knew, her sister was sucking on her own thumb of her left hand. This caused more tears to fall down Danger's cheeks.

_She hasn't done that in nearly a year. Mum weaned her off of doing that, mostly by word of mouth, telling her not to do so. Is this due to Mum no longer being around?__  
__  
_Danger sniffled and choked back a sob._  
__  
I have no idea what I am going to do now. Mum and Daddy made a will after Neenie was born. I expect everything is going to us, but I doubt it is very much. Babysitting doesn't make me much money, but even if I did get a regular job, where would Neenie go. She starts public school next fall, but she's always been shy around most kids, besides Harry. She loves reading and learning in private, with me. Is public school right for her? This should not be my decision to make!__  
__  
_Danger groaned softly, deciding she needed to think of something else. For the first time, ever since she woke up an hour ago after collapsing, did she think about those… dreams, were they? They seemed so real.

_And that man… Albus, his name was? I swear that was him in my dream. And there was a Harry and an Aletha mentioned. I know those two names, but surely it is a coincidence?__ I didn't know anyone in those dreams. And someone got murdered, and…__  
__  
His eyes… his expression. Looked just like my parents' expressions… no, don't think about that right now. They were just dreams…__  
__  
_But no matter how she tried to deny it, she couldn't help but think how real those dreams seemed.

* * *

**Chapter finished! **

**Next chapter, night of the Full Moon… ****James has to choose whether he stays with Remus, as Prongs to help his friend deal with the transformation, or if he should leave with Lily for the night, but where would they go when everyone thinks they are dead? And**** how does Danger come into this?****  
****  
****Also, if I decide to put it in this next chapter instead of the following one, Remus, James and Lily get a co****uple of visitors...****  
****  
For those of you confused, Danger is a Muggleborn witch, but her magic came very late. However, neither of the Granger sisters know about magic yet. **


	5. Wishes and Wolves

**Chapter 5  
Wishes and Wolves**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

* * *

The following morning, Remus awoke to find Romulus asleep in his cage, and two scrolls of parchment waiting for him on the kitchen table.

James and Lily were still asleep in the spare bedroom that, before the previous night, had been used for extra storage space. Remus had only been too happy to fix up the bed for them.

After starting a pot of coffee, Remus sat down and unrolled the nearest scroll and began to read:

_Dear Remus, __  
__  
__You're right. I was quite surprised when I received your letter. It has been quite a while since we have last talked. It is funny that you mention Sir__ius Black, because the last time we talked, I remember we had our disagreements about him. I still find it funny that it is me who believed in his complete innocence, when it was you who had been his friend for so long. I would have thought you never would__ have wanted to hear his name again for as long as you lived.__  
__  
__Suffice it to say, I am very intrigued since you say you have information about him, given that today marks three years since I have last seen him, three years he's had to innocently waste awa__y in Azkaban Prison. __  
__  
__What's that old adage? Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back? You better hope I am satisfied with this information. I am free on Saturday, and I still live in London as I have for these past few years. It should__ not take long to get to your house. How about noon? __  
__  
__I will admit every full moon I look at the sky, and wonder how my old friend is doing. I wish you the best of luck tonight.__  
__  
__Aletha__  
__  
__P.S. I will not be coming alone on Saturday. There is someone I've b__een wanting you to meet, and I wish I told you about them before we parted ways. __  
_  
Remus smiled. "Looks like we both have somebody to show off on Saturday, Letha. Two in my case."

He picked up the other scroll, unrolled it and began to read it:

_31-10-198__4__  
__  
__Remus,__  
__  
__It was wonderful to hear from you my friend, especially on a day like today. I imagine today is quite hard on you, but as I have told you many times in the last three years, stay strong. You have faced many a trouble over the years, and it is ab__out time you have something good in your life. I'm sure something will come sooner than you know.__  
__  
__As for your request, I accept your invitation. The first Hogsmeade visit of the term takes place next Sunday, which means most of the students will be in the__ village and the castle will be emptier than usual. Hogsmeade weekends usually mean I have nothing to do. So I need to fill my schedule. If it is satisfactory to you, could you please come to the castle with your friends at ten-o-clock? Any friend of yours__ is a friend of mine.__  
__  
__I look forward to our meeting.__  
__  
__Albus Dumbledore__  
__  
__Headmaster__  
__Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry__  
__  
_"Well, it seems this weekend will be quite eventful," Remus said, as he shoved the second piece of parchment away from him.

"What's that now?" Lily asked, as she walked into the kitchen.

"Aletha will be here around noon on Saturday," Remus said, "and we have been invited to go to Hogwarts, to meet Professor Dumbledore at ten-o-clock on Sunday morning."

A large grin slowly spread across her face. "Does it sound silly if I say I'm a little bit frightened to see my best friend and former Headmaster?"

"Not silly at all," Remus said, "I'm still trying to decide how we are going to accomplish this."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Lily, how many times do I have to say it?" Remus asked, "To the rest of the world, you and James are _no longer among the land of the living_. It isn't exactly the best idea to have you and James casually sitting on my sofa when Aletha comes into the house Saturday. Nor is it a genius plan for the two of you to walk up to Hogwarts, into the castle and into Dumbledore's office."

"Remus, we can't hide forever," Lily said. "James and I are alive, and it is about time everyone gets used to it!"

Remus smiled. "I had forgotten just how much of a hot-head you can be."

Lily glared at him. "I'll show you hot-head."

Remus barked out a laugh. "Lest you forget it is the day of the full moon."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Say I agree that you have a fair point. What do we do about it?"

"Aletha's the easier of the two," Remus said, "The two of you hide out in your bedroom when she arrives, I casually ease her in to seeing you."

"And then James and I reveal ourselves," Lily said, "and pray that she does not attack us like you did."

"I do believe I apologized for that," Remus said.

"I stunned _you, _didn't I?" Lily said, with a soft snort, "Alright, what about Hogwarts?"

"Disguises," Remus said, "Transfigure yourselves into somebody completely unrecognizable – James could do it, he's the best at it. I have Muggle magazines, you can pick anyone from one of those if you need suggestions. Again, we casually ease Dumbledore into seeing you."

"Harry and Sirius seem like a fine place to start," Lily said.

"I was thinking the same thing," Remus said, "And by Sunday, you'll have a recently practiced hand at your disguises."

"Why do you say that?" Lily asked.

"Unless you secretly became an Animagus during your months there in Godric's Hollow," Remus said, "I can't have you around here tonight during my transformations. You know what it would do to me if anything happened to you because of me."

Lily frowned. "I suppose you're right."

"I suggest a room in the Leaky Cauldron," Remus said, "They're cheap and I can lend you the money. You can pay me back when you and James can get into your vault at Gringotts."

"Our vault – it would still be available to us, right?" Lily asked. "We set up an inheritance vault for Harry when he was born, but there is still the Potter Family Vault. There is so much in there we didn't want to take to Godric's Hollow. Most of my jewelry – mine and James' wedding rings... and a lot more."

"Relax," Remus said, "Of course it will still be available once it is official you two are alive. I wouldn't suggest doing anything until it becomes public knowledge."

"When will that be?" Lily asked.

"We'll discuss that with Albus," Remus said. "He's still Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot and has some leverage in the Ministry. People listen to him."

Lily nodded. Just then, James walked into the room, and sat down next to Lily at the table. Remus and Lily caught James up with the discussions, including the letters, the coming weekend events and how they would meander through those events.

"I will be the first to say it is uncharacteristic of me to doubt myself," James said, "But I do hope my Transfiguration skills aren't rusty."

"Well, you can get some practice later today," Remus said, "You and Lily are getting a room tonight at the Leaky Cauldron. Away from here, away from me."

"So this isn't an open-invitation transformation tonight then?" James asked.

"It is more of a suggestion than a demand for you, Prongs," Remus said, then looked at Lily, who was frowning at the kitchen table, "You would be most welcome, but I'm sure Lily would be very lonely if you accepted that invitation."

"Oh," James said, "Yeah…"

"I'll be fine," Lily said, "It would be unkind of me –"

"Stop," James said, taking her hands in his, "What did I say in my vows? I'm with you, wherever you go. Besides, there is always next time."

Lily smiled. "Okay."

"That settles it then," Remus said.

Just then, the coffee maker signaled that it was ready.

"How do you like your coffee?" Remus asked, as he got up and walked over to the coffee maker.

"Like I like my dogs," James said, grinning.

"Seriously Black!" Remus and James said at the same time.

Remus laughed along with James and Lily, and as he poured two cups of coffee, a smile crossed his lips. It had been years since he had been able to use that joke. He didn't realize how much he had missed it.

* * *

Meanwhile at Number Four Privet Drive, four year old Harry Potter was sitting in the cupboard under the stairs. He had just finished up a breakfast of steaming hot porridge. It was almost too hot to eat, but Harry knew that if he asked for it to be covered in milk to cool it down, he would probably not get to eat the rest of his meal. So he had drank small sips from his glass of water whenever his mouth felt too hot.

Now he was doing his favorite pastime – drawing pictures with the broken crayons and wrinkled paper he had rescued from Dudley's second room. He had drawn many pictures, but nobody but him ever got to see them. He didn't want them taken away, so he hid them under his flimsy mattress whenever he finished. He usually drew things from his dreams. Out of everything he drew, he had two favorite pictures. One was a picture of two people, one with black hair, and one with red hair, though the most he could draw were stick figures of them. The other was a big black dog that poked its head through the bars of what seemed to be his crib. The name "Pa-foot" had come to his mind on a few occasions when he thought about this dog or the drawing, but he could never figure out why.

He suddenly heard footsteps walk by his cupboard and knew they were from Aunt Petunia. They were soft and didn't make too much noise, unlike Uncle Vernon or Dudley did whenever they walked. Harry had learned to listen for their footsteps. Usually he avoided his Uncle Vernon, and when it came to Dudley, he could usually run and hide whenever he heard Dudley's footsteps because most of the time Dudley was coming to push him on the ground or something.

"Patty!" Petunia's voice rang out, "Come in!"

"Thank you, Petunia, dear," a voice that Harry knew belonged to Patty Polkiss said, "Parker decided today was a good day for a father-son outing, so he and Piers have gone to London. So I am all alone in my house and I figured I'd come to talk to you."

Harry shook his head and returned to his drawing. Patty Polkiss, like his own Aunt Petunia, was one of the neighborhood gossips. Usually what they had to talk about at times like this was not important.

"Did you hear about the Grangers?" Patty said.

Harry's eyes widened. Granger? Today's gossip was about Neenie's family! This was definitely important.

He walked over to the cupboard door and hoped Aunt Petunia hadn't locked it. But it sprung open when he pushed on it. So Harry peered down the hallway and saw Petunia and Mrs. Polkiss walk into the living room. Harry then hurried down the hallway and took a seat against the wall near the archway that led into the living room. Whenever he wanted to listen to the television, and wasn't allowed, he would usually sit there. Most of the time, he could get back to his cupboard before he was discovered.

"The Grangers, you say?" Petunia asked, "The youngest two? I saw them last night. Did something happen to them?"

"You didn't hear?" Patty asked. "Gertrude and Hermione were very lucky. They were out trick-or-treating when it happened. They came to my house, you see. Probably one of their last stops, I am just up on the corner from them, of course."

"When what happened?" Petunia asked.

"They say it was a gas leak," Patty said, "David and Rose were found in the living room… dead."

Harry covered his mouth to hide the sound that would have escaped. Petunia didn't bother to hide her gasp.

Davie and Rosie? Harry knew who they were. Danger and Neenie's parents, just as nice as Neenie and Danger were. Harry wasn't sure what "dead" meant, only that it was something like what happened to his own Mum and Dad. All he knew was that it meant they were gone and not coming back, or that is what his aunt and uncle usually said.

_"They __are dead!" Uncle Vernon had once said, when Harry asked about them, "They are gone and not coming back for you! No more questions about them!"_

Harry felt tears in his eyes. _Neenie's Mum and Daddy aren't coming back. She must be so sad. I wish I could talk__ to her. I know what it is like for someone to go away and not come back. I wish I could see her…__  
__  
_

* * *

Hermione Granger was sitting on the couch at Mrs. Figg's house, after a delicious breakfast. One of Mrs. Figg's many cats, Mr. Tibbles, was laid out across her lap, and Hermione was petting him lengthways. Hermione loved cats - one of the reasons she loved one of her nicknames, Kitten - but she never had one of her own. Her Daddy got the sniffles whenever he was around cats.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought of her Daddy, and she cried softly.

"Neenie?" Danger asked as she walked into the living room, "Are you okay, sweetie?"

Hermione shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. Danger sat down next to her, and Mr. Tibbles jumped down from Hermione's lap.

"Come here," Danger said.

Hermione buried her head in Danger's lap and let the tears flow.

"You know Mum and Daddy will never be too far away," Danger said, a full minute later, "even if you can't see them."

"Like ghosts?" Neenie asked, as she sat up again.

"Kind of," Danger said.

"Are Mum and Daddy with Harry's parents?" Neenie asked.

"What?" Danger asked.

"Harry said one day that his parents were gone and not coming back," Neenie said, "that is what his aunt and uncle said. Are they wherever Mum and Daddy are now?"

A frown crossed Danger's lips. "I think so, Neenie. Yeah."

Hermione nodded and laid her head against Danger's arm.

_Harry would know how I am feeling. I wish I could see him soon…__  
__  
_

* * *

He watched as his master pointed his wand at the shop-keeper and muttered a word. The shop-keeper screamed and writhed on the floor.

"You told me the boy would be there, Borgin!" his master screamed.

"Pl-please!" Borgin begged, and his attacker released the spell. He panted and groaned, "I swear – I swear I saw the boy of that description you gave me walked into that very house! How was I supposed to know it was not his house?!"

His master growled. "You are lucky you are useful to me, Borgin, or you would cease to be. Speak a word of this and your usefulness will have ran its course."

"I would – I would never speak of it!" Borgin said.

"Good," his master said, and he spun around on his heels and walked toward the front door of the store; he turned to his left and narrowed his eyes and looked at his slave, "Come, Dobby. We are through here."

Dobby cringed and nodded, and followed his master out of Borgin and Burkes and into Knockturn Alley.

_Dobby wishes he could be free so he could __warn Harry Potter of the dangers coming to him. Harry Potter is so brave and Dobby only wishes he could meet Harry Potter. At least Master does not know where Harry Potter currently is, and Dobby will never tell him. Dobby would iron his hands, toes and ea__rs first before he ever answered that question.__  
__  
_

* * *

Fortunately for the three small creatures, human and house-elf alike, their wishes would be granted. They just needed the patience to wait.  
_  
_

* * *

"Yes, like you were doing before," Lily Potter said, "Yes, just like that."

Remus Lupin chuckled and shook his head as he walked into the living room.

"If I didn't know exactly what you were doing," he said, "I would have wondered why you weren't in the privacy of your bedroom."

"Very funny," Lily said, sarcastically.

It was shortly before seven-o-clock in the evening, and James and Lily Potter were getting ready for their date at the Leaky Cauldron. In other words, they were currently working on changing their appearances into two people that looked nothing like James and Lily Potter. James had given himself long, ginger-red hair, and freckles, and Lily's hair-do looked a lot like a certain strict former Professor of theirs, color, formation and all.

"Whose idea was it to turn Lily into a young-looking Minerva McGonagall?" Remus asked, in amusement, "If I didn't know the only children she had and loved were her students, I would have wondered why McGonagall's daughter is currently in my home."

"She was the first person I thought of," James said.

"Given that she is the Transfiguration Professor," Remus said, "and you are doing Transfigurations, I can certainly see why you would think of her."

"How do we look?" Lily asked. "We decided our disguised names should be Harold and Cecelia Clay."

"Clay?" Remus asked, "Potter… I get it. Cute. You're eye-color needs to be different, _Cecelia_. Remember the comments everyone had about Harry when we was born?"

"Looks just like me, but he has Lily's eyes," James said.

"Exactly," Remus said, "and why is that? Because most people can recognize you by your eyes, Lily. If you ever became an Animagus, people would still know who you were because of your eyes. They don't change color during Animagi transformations."

"For a wizard who can become an animal without the need of Animagus lessons," James said, "You certainly know a lot about Animagi – a lot more than you did when myself, Padfoot and – and Wormtail were becoming Animagi."

"I've been researching lately to find out if werewolves can become Animagi," Remus said, "Apparently we can… I just hadn't gotten around to it yet."

"Since when did you want to become an Animagi, Moony?" James asked.

Remus grunted. "Loneliness makes you think about a lot of things – that was one of them."

The conversation abruptly ended there, leaving both James and Lily silent, as they made the final touches to their disguises.

* * *

An hour later, James and Lily – or rather Harold and Cecelia Clay – walked out of the London nighttime atmosphere and into the Leaky Cauldron, a small wizarding restaurant and inn, in which both the building and those patrons walking in were unseen by Muggle passersby.

"Hasn't changed a bit in four years," James commented, as he looked around; his eyes fell on the barman/owner of the building, "Same goes for Tom."

"Time for our first real test," Lily said, "If anyone would recognize us, it would be Tom."

James squeezed Lily's hand gently, and they walked toward the bar where Tom was scrubbing out a mug with a washcloth.

"Good evening," Tom said, when he caught sight of them, "What can I do for you –"

"Harold Clay, and my wife Cecelia," James said, "We'd like a table and a room for the night."

"I do believe both are available," Tom said, "One bed?"

"Yes," James said.

"Seven Galleons for the room," Tom said, "Pick a table and I'll be there soon to take your orders. Non-alcoholic drinks are free with the purchase of your room. The room will be available by the time you are finished with your meal, come see me then."

"Thank you, sir," James said.

James and Lily found a private table in the corner of the room, and sat down across from each other.

"Remember the first time we stayed here for the night together?" Lily asked.

"I will never forget it," James said, smiling as he reminisced, "Christmas Break, seventh year. We had been together since that Halloween when you finally accepted to go on a date with me to Hogsmeade village. Just a few weeks prior, your mother passed away, leaving just you and your sister left. If I recall the story right, Petunia had just gotten engaged to _Vermin –" _Lily snorted at the nickname for her sister's husband and James grinned, then continued, " – and you said she was all about showing off her new ring and fiancée to her friends at the Christmas Eve Party. You couldn't take it, caused a scene –"

Lily blushed and chuckled. "— and escaped my house and came here. You were doing some very last minute Christmas shopping and saw me here. You invited me over to the Manor for the rest of Christmas break, but I had already rented a room for the night, and didn't want to waste the money."

"So I made an excuse to my parents, told them I was staying at Sirius' new flat in Diagon Alley for the night," James said, "And spent the night with you. And that was the first night we –"

"Slept together in all meanings of the phrase?" Lily suggested, with a chuckle.

"Indeed," James said, grinning, "I could not believe you were willing to do all that, _that early _in our relationship."

"What can I say?" Lily asked, "My knight in shining armor came and rescued me, and it was that moment I knew I was in love and never would fall out of it."

James grinned. Tom came over and James and Lily ordered the specials with Butterbeer. They spent the next couple of hours eating slowly and talking as if it was the first time they had met each other.

Or as if they really had not seen each other in three years.

* * *

Gertrude "Danger" Granger opened her eyes and found that she was no longer in Arabella Figg's spare bedroom, laying next to her sister. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep, and it had been close to midnight – she had been trying to decide on what to do next when it came to her and her sister, and had been in the middle of writing out a list on paper, when she had noticed how late it had been – nearly midnight - and that was when she went to bed.

_Okay, obvious first question. Where am I and how did I get here?__  
_  
She was currently sitting on a hard surface in a rather dark room. The only light came from a hanging lamp on a wall, near a staircase that led upwards. She stood up and walked over to the staircase and made her way up it. She reached a door that appeared to be made out of steel. When she looked for a door handle, she found there was none. She attempted to push it open…

… _and her hand went right through the door.__  
__  
I do believe I am dreaming again. But it seems so real. _She turned and looked back down the stairwell. _Well, if my dream put me there, then obviously there is a reason for being down there.__  
__  
_She turned and walked back down the steps, then attempted to take the lamp from its post on the wall, and found she could. She moved the lamp around, to allow herself to get a better view of the room she was in. The room seemed to be built completely out of stone. Shadows crept up walls, leaving dark spaces in the four corners. Danger was reminded of the basement in her own home.

Then she heard a sound coming from the opposite side of the room in one of the shadowy corners. It sounded a lot like growling! _Or perhaps more like snoring…__  
__  
It would appear I am not alone down here. The only question is do I investigate, or try to find a way to get the hell out of here. It seems I can walk through that door up there. __  
__  
_Danger snorted as a realization came to her. _I'm dreaming, there might be nothing on the other side of that door! Which would mean I am stuck in here with somebody until I wake up. __  
__  
_Danger debated for a full minute on what to do next. She knew there had to be a reason she was having this dream, and if there was someone else with her in the dream, then obviously she needed to find out who that person was.

_It is a dream, it isn't like they can hurt me, right?__  
__  
_Danger steeled herself and walked slowly over toward the direction of the sound. She moved the arm holding the lantern forward, vanishing more shadows as she moved closer. And when she saw what was making the sound, she almost screamed and dropped the lantern.

It was a dog… no, a wolf. The biggest wolf she had ever seen in her life. Only it was unlike any wolf she had ever seen before. Some of the features seemed different.

_And why am I staring at a wolf__, and not running away,__ when it could…__?__  
__  
_The wolf's eyes open – piercing blue and wild. Danger froze in place, not daring to move one inch. The wolf's eyes moved back and forth searching the room.

_It's going to see me, _Danger thought, _how could it not? I am holding a lantern – everything in this room is dark except where I'm standing!__  
__  
_The wolf's eyes continued searching the room, but it did not make a sound. In fact… did it seem to be calming down instead of getting more fierce like wild animals did when sensing danger?

Then the wolf yawned and shook its head – in almost a human-like way – and closed its eyes again.

Danger closed her eyes and sighed in immense relief. And when she opened them again, she was no longer standing in a basement, holding a lantern near a large wolf. She was back in the bed, next to her sister in Arabella Figg's spare bedroom. Danger stared at the ceiling for a moment, as she thought about the dream she had.

_That wolf seemed so… abnormal? And those eyes… so blue… almost every wolf I've ever seen had brown or yellow… but blue? Huskies have blue eyes, but that was no regular dog! And who the hell would keep a wolf _that big_ in a basement?!__  
__  
_Danger snorted softly and laughed quietly to herself.

"It was a dream, Danger," she said, "Nothing more…"

Danger smiled to herself and closed her eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next morning Remus woke, stark naked and laying on the cold cement floor. He was very relieved to have survived through the night. He hadn't been able to afford the Wolfsbane Potion this month, and because of that, he had been lost in the mind of the wolf for most of the night. Those hours he was able to sleep in his wolf-form was quite rough.

And yet…

There was one thing Remus could remember most out of the whole night. For just a few minutes in the middle of the night, it was as if he had indeed taken Wolfsbane Potion. He was sure his mind had been his own, had won over the wolf for just a few minutes…

Remus shook his head at these thoughts. "Never happened before when I didn't take Wolfsbane, and it didn't happen last night. Face it, Lupin, you were just dreaming."

* * *

**Or was he? –wicked laughter-**  
**  
This chapter would have been up on Christmas, but these two last scenes were very, very important and I wanted them to be perfect****, and perfection sometime takes quite a while****.****  
****  
Next chapter! Remus, James and Lily have an eventful weekend, and Danger has her most important dream yet. For those wondering when James and Lily will finally see Harry… two or three more chapters! Just wait!****  
****  
****James and Lily's disguised names "Harold and Cecelia Clay" are borrowed from whydoyouneedtoknow's Truth Amid The Lies, which inspired this story!****  
**_  
_


	6. Aletha Freeman

**Chapter 6  
Aletha Freeman**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

**Author's Note: ****What was supposed to be the first half of this chapter kept going on and on. So I decided to split the eventful weekend into two chapters! ****Q&A Time:****  
****  
****Q: Is ****this story going to be Hermione/Harry or will you keep your tradition and make****it a Ginny/Harry?****  
****  
A: Main Ships involving the children: Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Draco/Luna, Neville/Meghan Black (Meghan is introduced this chapter). If you are familiar with the Dangerverse, you will know that these four are the main relationships involving these eight characters. ****  
****  
**

* * *

Nerves were on edge on Saturday at the Lupin house. Aletha Freeman would be visiting in just a short while.

She had been just as close to James and Lily Potter as the Marauders were. She had been Lily Potter's best friend since their very first day of their First Year at Hogwarts. For years she had been just as annoyed by the Marauders as Lily had been, though when Lily's main irritation was James Potter, Aletha's had been Sirius Black. Times had changed over the years, and just as Lily had fallen in love with James, Aletha had fallen in love with Sirius. Aletha had been one of Lily's bridesmaids, and had been Lily's first and only choice for the role of Harry's godmother. She had also been in the front row with Remus Lupin at James and Lily's funeral.

Then she and Remus had a big argument – the topic: whether Sirius Black had been innocent or guilty of betraying James and Lily Potter to their deaths, and murdering Peter Pettigrew. Remus had been like a stone, unmoving in his beliefs that his one-time best friend and fellow Marauder had been one-hundred percent guilty.

In Remus' defense, he was correct – he had just picked the wrong Marauder.

Aletha had believed that Sirius could never betray his best friend, the man whom had been like a brother to him, whose parents had taken him in when he had run away from home. She believed he was innocent. She was concrete in her beliefs and in her arguments – her biggest question, why had Sirius not had a trial before he was carted off to Azkaban prison? Remus' answer – because the Ministry was sure of Sirius' guilt, just like he was.

Aletha had a very close relationship with Sirius. They had been inseparable since their seventh year at Hogwarts. They told each other everything. Their friends were sure Sirius was going to pop the question sooner or later. Aletha had been heartbroken after Sirius had been arrested. Between his arrest and her grief towards the deaths of her best friends, it had caused her to snap during her major argument with Remus. Sirius had once confided in her that he thought Remus had been a spy in the Order of the Phoenix, working for Voldemort, who had been rounding up werewolves for his army. She accused Remus of being the spy, and told him that the only reason he thought Sirius was guilty, was to hide his own guilt and shame. Then she stormed out of his house, and out of his life.

That was nearly three years ago.

Now Remus was currently sitting in the living room with James and Lily. He was silent as his two friends chatted to each other, the nerves due to the current situation evident in their voices and words. Remus was only partially listening to the conversation. His mind was full of thoughts and questions. What was he going to say to Aletha to prepare her for the shocking surprise that two people she thought were dead were very much alive? Aletha was expecting him to give her some new information about Sirius. The atmosphere would be tense before words were even spoken, simply because of the history between him and Aletha concerning Sirius.

_Today, I taste the humble pie. Aletha had been right and I had been wrong. We had both been adamant, and words we never thought we'd say had been exchanged. Hearts, already broken, were shattered because __we both lost the last close friend we had – each other. On Halloween, my shattered heart was repaired. Now it is time to repair Aletha's heart. __  
__  
_Remus looked at James and Lily. _  
__  
Aletha's going to freak when they reveal themselves. I had best prepare a Shield Charm, because Aletha always hexed first and asked questions later. __  
__  
_Remus' thoughts were broken by a screeching sound coming from outside. He looked out the living room window just in time to see a purple triple-decker bus outside.

"The Knight Bus," Remus said, "I do believe Aletha's here. James? Lily?"

"You know where we'll be when you need us," James said.

"See you shortly," Remus said.

James and Lily walked past Remus and out of the living room. A few moments later, he heard their bedroom door shut. The next moment, he heard the sound of knuckles rapping across the wood of the front door.

_Here goes nothing, _Remus mused as he stood up and walked over to the front door.

When he opened it, he found Aletha Freeman standing there. She was up to Remus' shoulders in height, dark-skinned, had light-brown eyes, and her lengthy dark hair was braided as it ran down past her shoulders. Her hands were gripped to the handles of a baby stroller, and asleep in the stroller…

_I believe I have just found out who Aletha wanted to introduce me to, _Remus said, as his eyes gazed at the baby girl – a couple years or so in age, older than Harry was the last time Remus had seen him. She was mulatto in skin with thin black braids covering the top of her head.

"Aletha," Remus said, "How good to see you."

"Remus," Aletha said, nodding her head, and leaving it at that.

"Come on in," Remus said.

Aletha pushed the stroller into the house, and Remus followed her into the living room. She positioned the stroller next to one of the chairs and sat down in it.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Remus asked.

"Nothing at the moment," Aletha said.

"Beautiful little girl," Remus commented, as he, too, sat in a chair, "Is she yours?"

"She is," Aletha said, "My daughter, Meghan Lily… as for her last name… well, most know it as Freeman. But in the privacy of my home, I use her father's last name."

"Her father?" Remus asked.

"Surely you don't need to ask, Remus," Aletha said. "Meghan was born June 1st of 1982."

Before Remus could respond, the little girl's eyes opened up and Remus looked straight into them. They were grey and extremely familiar -

"Sirius," Remus breathed.

"Of course," Aletha said, with a smile, "Who else would it be? Who else could it be? I've never loved, or been with another man. Come here, my Pearl."

Aletha reached toward the stroller and took her daughter into her lap.

_My God. Sirius Black, a father? Never would I have imagined him the father-type. He, himself, had doubts of even accepting the role of Harry's godfather. __  
__  
_"Does Sirius know?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Aletha replied, "I didn't find out I was pregnant until a couple weeks after – after everything happened. And it isn't like Azkaban prisoners are allowed post. You don't know what it has been like, Remus. People who knew me before Sirius was sentenced to Azkaban knew we were a couple. My daughter resembles me, but has her father's eyes, and her skin – easy to tell her father's white. Nobody would ever believe her to be mine by adoption. Thankfully I didn't gain much weight during my pregnancy, so I was able to work – I'm in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. You wouldn't believe how hard that is having to work with the same people – to work for the same man who put Sirius away _without a trial. _I've had to hide my opinions and thoughts of Sirius' innocence – oh, yes, not like that even matters to _you._"

"Actually, it does, Aletha," Remus said, "I've recently had a change of heart, thanks to some information I've come across."

"Where did you get this information?" Aletha asked, "Not from my office, because nobody there believes in Sirius' innocence, trust me."

_Here we go, _Remus thought.

"Oh, I have a couple of sources," Remus said.

"Are you going to reveal them to me or not, Lupin?" Aletha asked, "Because I'd do anything, _anything _to get proof that Sirius is innocent. If you're not going to reveal these sources to me, then I'll just take my daughter and leave now, because otherwise you're wasting my time."

"Relax, Letha," Remus said, "I will reveal them. Before I do however, you have to promise me something."

"What's that?" Aletha grunted.

"What you are about to discover is going to be rather shocking," Remus said, "Please do not overreact and make quick assumptions. Promise me you'll allow explanations before you say anything." Aletha opened her mouth to respond, but Remus put up one finger. "Whatever you are going to say, whatever you have been through in the past, nothing will prepare you for this. Promise me."

Aletha blinked. "Okay, I promise."

"I'll be back in a moment," Remus said, as he stood. He walked toward the hallway, then paused at the archway between the hallway and the living room and turned back to Aletha, "You might want to put her back in her stroller, Just in case you do overreact."

Aletha scoffed, but motioned to do as suggested. Remus smiled and headed back toward the spare bedroom. He tapped his knuckles on the door. A moment later it opened. James stood there and was about to speak up, when Remus put a finger to his own lips. James nodded. He and Lily followed Remus back into the hallway, and stopped at the archway. Remus made a signal with his hands – Marauder sign-language for 'stay here for a moment'. James and Lily nodded. Remus then steeled himself and walked into the living room.

"Well?" Aletha asked, as she looked at Remus, probably to see if he had parchment or something with him, "Where's this proof?"

"Come on in," Remus said.

Remus moved a hand secretly toward his wand, as a precaution and watched Aletha, as James and Lily slowly made their way into the room. Aletha's jaw dropped and she shook her head.

"This isn't – this is – that's – Remus?" Aletha asked, "Polyjuice Potion? You're using – how did you even get their hair – Remus Lupin, HOW DARE YOU?!"

Aletha's outrage had cause Meghan to burst into tears. Aletha immediately picked up her daughter and held her against her.

"Aletha Carina Freeman," Lily said, "Always jumping to the wrong conclusions. Is that your daughter? She's beautiful."

"How dare you?" Aletha asked, "Disguising yourself as my dead best friend. Who are you? Was this your plan, Remus? What were you going to do? Walk into the Ministry, and say, 'James and Lily are alive, Sirius can't be guilty!' Everyone knows they're dead! I always knew you were insane!"

"First day we met, Aletha," Lily said, "You told me you were worried you were going to be the dumbest student in our year just because you're Muggleborn. I told you it would be okay, that us Muggleborns had to stick together. When you realized I knew more about the wizarding world, then most Muggleborn should, you stopped talking to me for a month, because I told you I learned about the wizarding world from a boy whom had insulted you on the first train-ride to school. That boy was none other than Severus Snape."

James let out a loud scoff. "_Snivellus_."

Lily glared at James and smacked him in the back of the head. Remus snickered, then stopped when he saw the look on Aletha's face – she had tears forming in her eyes.

"Day I told you I might have fancied Sirius," Aletha said.

"A week before Yule Ball, Seventh Year," Lily said, "I asked you who you wanted to go to the Ball with. Ever since James and I got together, you had been the only girl out of all the seventh year Gryffindors who was single."

"Lily asked me to talk to Sirius about you," James asked, grinning, "So I called a surprise Quidditch practice – that only the Captain – that's me – and the two Beaters – Sirius and you – knew about. When you arrived at the locker room, only Sirius and I were there. Sirius then asked you to the Yule Ball."

Aletha's mouth was now quivering. She slowly put Meghan back in her stroller then stood up straight and looked at James and Lily.

"James?" she asked, "Lily?"

"It's us, Letha," Lily said.

Remus pulled James out of the way, just in time as Aletha bounded across the room to Lily and hugged her. The only sound in the room came from the two girls weeping and sobbing into each other's shoulders.

In her stroller, Meghan was looking at the scene rather curiously. Then she must have decided it wasn't that interesting, because she yawned and went back to sleep.

"H-how?" Aletha asked, as she backed away and wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater, "H-how is this p-possible?"

"We don't know," Lily said, sniffling, "All we remember is Voldemort attacking us with Killing Curses, everything going dark, and when we woke up, it was three years later – just a couple days ago."

"Halloween," Aletha said.

"I was visiting Godric's Hollow like I have done on Halloween for the past couple of years," Remus said, "I had gone to their house, and then to the cemetery. While I was at the cemetery, I saw this large stag staring at me from the gate. I followed the stag, and it led me to the back door of James and Lily's house."

He continued the story of how he found them in their living room, and accused them of being impostors. Aletha laughed, and Lily grinned when Remus explained how he had tried to attack them, and Lily stunned him.

"When I came to," Remus said, "I continued to accuse and threaten them, until they convinced me that they really were James and Lily Potter. Then I explained to them the common story everyone knows about what happened that night, including what we know about what happened with Sirius."

Remus looked from Aletha, then to James and Lily, and inhaled, then prepared himself.

"I noticed they were reacting to Sirius' name just a little too calmly," he continued, "Then I told them Sirius betrayed them. James said that would never happen -"

"Thank you!" Aletha said.

"—and I asked them who else could have betrayed them to Voldemort," Remus continued, "That Sirius had been their Secret Keeper…"

Remus frowned and looked at James and Lily.

"What?" Aletha asked, "What happened then? What did you tell him? Surely something happened – Voldemort had to find out another way – he could have found a way to break the Fidelius Charm without using the Secret Keeper. Because like you said, Sirius would never betray you -"

"Aletha, Sirius was not our Secret Keeper," Lily said.

Aletha's mouth moved soundlessly.

"The night we offered him the role," James said, "He refused, said he would be the obvious choice. He told us to pick Wormtail. So we did."

"He never told me that!" Aletha said.

"We made him promise to keep it between us and Peter," James said, "Which meant keeping it away from you."

"Why?" Aletha asked.

"Letha, we didn't know who the spy was," Lily said, "All we knew is that it was someone very close to us, and possibly close to the Longbottoms."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aletha asked, "Did you honestly think -? I'm Muggleborn! Even if I wanted to betray you, Voldemort would have killed me sooner than recruited me!"

"We never thought it was you," Lily said, "For months, we might have thought it was –"

Remus noticed that Lily and James were looking everywhere but at him. He swallowed and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter anymore," he said, "Wormtail was your Secret Keeper. He betrayed you. Sirius – he's innocent."

"I told you," Aletha growled, her eyes – once again wet - narrowed toward Remus, "_I told you, _Remus, and you _never _believed me!"

"What was I supposed to think?" Remus asked, "You thought I was the spy, didn't you?"

Aletha frowned and looked at her feet.

"I'm not mad at any of you for thinking that, okay?" Remus asked, "Letha, I could go on for hours about how sorry I am about believing Sirius was the traitor. I could – I've spent most of the morning thinking about how I could apologize to you. But right now, there are more important things. We now know it was the person we least expected – Wormtail. He betrayed James and Lily. He betrayed all of us."

"But… why?" Aletha asked, "Wormtail? I mean he was so – he was – I don't know."

"Quiet?" Remus suggested, "Hidden? We could name a lot of traits he was, and we would realize that many of them were traits usually seen in Death Eaters. The most important out of all those traits – he was always looking for someone popular to accept him into their group. First it was us – the Marauders. Then it was the Order. Then finally… Voldemort and the Death Eaters."

"Makes a lot of sense now," James said. "He was always late to events we held. Order meetings, Christmas parties, hell he didn't come to see Harry until the day after he was born. Everyone else was there… but not him."

"This is too unreal," Aletha said, as tears, once again, went to her eyes, "I've been looking for answers. Someway to prove Sirius' innocence and now… by some miracle, you two have come back from the dead. You know what we need to do, right? We need to go to the Ministry… tell them everything – what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

For Remus, James and Lily were shaking their heads, and had frowns on their faces.

"Everyone thinks James and Lily are dead, Letha," Remus said, "They'll be arrested if they walk into the Ministry. Everyone will believe just as you, just as I did. That they are using Polyjuice Potion."

"But Polyjuice Potion only lasts so long," Aletha said, "When they discover you two really are who you say you are –"

"They'll wonder how we're alive," James said.

"Yeah, good point," Aletha said, "How _are _you alive? I mean – it is one thing to believe one person, a baby at that, survived the Killing Curse, but _three people. _A whole family?"

"We believe Dumbledore had something to do with this," Remus said. "We're meeting him tomorrow at ten in the morning at Hogwarts. We're hoping he can help us with a few things, including how to free Sirius."

"And where Harry is currently living," Lily said.

"Oh, Merlin, Harry!" Aletha said, as she put a hand to her mouth, "I tried to do everything to find him. I was ready to tell people you two made me his godmother, and that I should be responsible for him, but –" she turned and looked at her sleeping daughter, "—then I found out I was going to be a mother."

"She's precious," James said, "Who's her father?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Remus and Aletha said in unison.

James raised one eyebrow, then the other, and laughed. "Sirius, that dog!"

"Isn't he going to be surprised when he gets out of Azkaban?" Remus asked, "Seeing you two alive, _and _finding out he's a father?"

"He'll think he went mental in Azkaban!" James laughed.

Aletha sniffled. "If he already hasn't gone mental in Azkaban."

"Oh, Letha," Lily said, "I'm sure he'll be okay. He's a survivor."

Aletha nodded, then broke down into tears again and hugged Lily again.

"I never thought I'd see you again," she sobbed. "I lost my best friend three years ago. Only one other girl has ever matched up to you, and I haven't seen her since I was ten years old."

"I'll do my best never to leave you again, Letha," Lily said, then backed away, "Now come on, it sounds like you have a lot to tell us about yourself, and this precious little girl."

As the four adults sat down and started a long conversation, the aforementioned little girl yawned and remained asleep in her stroller, oblivious as to how much her young life was about to change.

* * *

**I didn't expect this scene to go on for so long! If I added the rest of what I had planned for this chapter, it would have been extremely long! So it will be in the next chapter. **

**Next chapter: More revelations, a few shocks, a greasy-haired Professor, and one dream that sets one of the storylines in motion!**

**Meghan Lily Black is exactly one year older than she is in the original Dangerverse saga.**


	7. Confrontations, Explanations and More

**Chapter 7  
Confrontations, Explanations and More Revelations**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

**Author's Note:****This is a very long chapter. Didn't want to split it up (again) because I know my readers are looking forward to what is coming after this chapter's events.**

* * *

Shortly before ten-o-clock on Sunday morning, four people walked, with one more riding via stroller, up the long driveway that led from the little village of Hogsmeade to the majestic thousand-year old castle known as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. James and Lily Potter were currently disguised as Harold and Cecelia Clay. Aletha Freeman, and her daughter, Meghan, had been invited to come along for the meeting with Albus Dumbledore, given that part of the conversation would have to do with Sirius Black and his hopeful near-future pardon from Azkaban Prison; both had a lot of stake – though the younger didn't know it - in this particular event happening.

A sight in the distance caught Remus Lupin's eyes and his lips curled into a frown. He was looking at the large tree known as the Whomping Willow. The tree had been planted the year he arrived at Hogwarts – in fact it had been planted _because _he had arrived at Hogwarts. The tree covered a dark, narrow passage that led to a shabby, derelict house in Hogsmeade known as the Shrieking Shack. Remus _hated _that name. The "shrieks" and noises Hogsmeade visitors and residents heard coming from the Shack for years had not been ghosts – it had been Remus himself, during his transformations into the wolf.

For the first four years and a couple months of his Hogwarts years, Remus spent every full moon alone in the Shack. Then one day in their fifth year, Remus' three friends – James, Sirius and Peter - also known as the majority of the Marauders, became Animagi – wizards whom could become an animal form. They had known about Remus' condition since their second year of school, when they became suspicious about the stories of Remus visiting his sick mother every month on the night of the full moon, and had confronted him one day where he was forced to tell the truth.

_It was either that or lose the__ only__three__ friends I had__ at the time__. And boy did Albus Dumbledore feel__ foolish the day he realized a few students had seen past "the ingenious story" he had come up with for my monthly disappearance. Who else would retreat into hiding on the full moon but werewolves?__  
__  
_James was Prongs, the majestic stag. Sirius was Padfoot, the lovable black dog – coincidentally also the common form of the superstition-centered creature known as the Grim. Peter was Wormtail, a large fat brown rat with a bald tail.

For the last three years of their education, the Marauders spent every full moon in their animal forms together in the Shrieking Shack or exploring the Forbidden Forest, breaking many school rules while they did so. Though they had also been breaking the law since they became Animagi – it was against the law to be an unregistered Animagi.

Remus gratefully tore his sight from the Whomping Willow and back toward his destination. He and his friends had reached the end of the driveway, where there were currently a large number of carriages and students outside the front doors of the castle. Latched on to every carriage was a black, skeletal, winged horse known as a Thestral. But not everyone could see these Thestrals, only those who had seen death. Four of today's five guests coming to Hogwarts could see the Thestrals, an occupational hazard when one had dealt with the dangers of fighting in the Great War.

"Ah, Hogsmeade day!" Aletha said, with a smile as they walked past over a hundred students, ranging from third to seventh years, "Takes us back, eh? See those kids, Meghan? One day, you'll be a student here like them."

Meghan cooed in her stroller in response.

As the guests reached the doors of the castle, they saw two familiar figures standing near it: Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress and Transfiguration Professor, and Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts. A cat that resembled a dirty mop sat at Filch's legs.

"Mrs. Faye is still alive?" Aletha muttered as she looked at the cat.

"Unfortunately not," McGonagall, who had heard Aletha, said, "This is Mrs. Norris, her daughter. Mrs. Faye passed away in '78. Rumor is due to apparent heartbreak because she no longer got to chase around the Marauders late at night." A sound much like a snort came from Filch's direction. "Speaking of… hello, Mr. Lupin."

"Professor McGonagall," Remus said, bowing to his former Professor and Head of House.

"Young man, I have not been your Professor for years," McGonagall said, in a stern voice that made Remus feel like a child even now, "Please call me Minerva."

"_Or Minnie_," James coughed into his fist.

Lily smacked James on the back of his head. Minerva raised a curious eyebrow in disguised James' direction.

"Remus, Albus is waiting for you in his office," she said, "But first I believe I need introductions. I only recognize two of you. Miss Freeman, how good to see you."

"You as well, Pro – _Minerva," _Aletha corrected herself hastily; she motioned to her daughter, "This is my daughter, Meghan."

"A beautiful little girl she is, too," McGonagall said, a rare smile forming on her lips as she looked at the young girl.

"Harold Clay, and my wife Cecelia," James said, "Unfortunately, we were never privileged to set foot inside this wonderful castle as children."

"We heard Remus was friends with the legendary Albus Dumbledore," Lily said, feigning a gushing tone, "and we just had to meet him."

Remus tried his best to hide a smile as McGonagall raised her eyebrows when Lily used "legendary" to describe the aging Headmaster.

"Well, I wouldn't want to keep Albus waiting," McGonagall said, "Mr. Lupin, I believe you still remember where the Headmaster's office is. Merlin knows you were there many times as a student."

James snickered, then sobered up when McGonagall looked at him.

Remus attempted a straight face. "Yes, I do remember, Prof – Minerva."

"Keep practicing, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall said, "Perhaps in a year you can say my name without mistake."

"I will try my best," Remus said, "We'll see you later, ma'am, Mr. Filch. Er… Mrs. Norris."

Caretaker and cat alike glared at Remus and his friends as they walked past and made their way toward the Grand Staircase.

_Perfect, _Remus thought with a grimace, _ I always thought Mrs. Faye could sense the wolf in me. Looks like her daughter can too._

"James Tiberius Potter, I am going to smack you one soon," Lily muttered when they got out of earshot of McGonagall. "I'm sure we were this close from McGonagall discovering who we really are."

"One, you already _did _smack me one," James said, "and two, I thought you wanted to be discovered."

"On my own terms!" Lily scowled, "So stop – stop – _stop being a Marauder_."

"Yes, dear," James said, glaring at Remus and Aletha, when his two friends snickered.

As Remus and his friends approached the first floor corridor, they heard a great _crash _up ahead.

"Peeves?" Aletha guessed.

"Most likely," Remus said.

Remus listened for more evidence of Peeves the resident Poltergeist and heard a less-welcoming voice instead.

"Weasley! Tonks!" the voice said, "What are you doing?"

"No way," James said, "No _effing _way…"

They hurried into the corridor and found a rather peculiar sight. A suit of armor was currently in pieces sprawled out across the stone floor of the corridor. A small red-headed freckly boy stood near a girl with bright pink hair whom was currently sitting near one of the suit of armor's legs. And approaching them from the opposite side of the hall was a man Remus had last seen in battle – on his opponent's side: Severus Snape.

"S-sorry, sir," the little girl said, as she got to her feet, "I tripped."

"I am not surprised," Snape sneered, "What are you up to this time? Ten incidents of clumsiness. How about we take ten points from Gryffindor then."

"Sir, she's not a Gryffindor, she's a Hufflepuff," the boy said.

"Ten points from Hufflepuff then," Snape said, "And Gryffindor, as well, for your _cheek_."

"Taking points away from the boy for correcting you, Severus?" Remus asked. "Is that fair?"

Snape and the two students looked back toward Remus and his friends.

"_Lupin_," Snape said, in a crisp, cool voice, "The Headmaster did say you were coming today. Funny seeing you here, I was just thinking of you on Thursday night."

Remus frowned. Snape had known Remus was a werewolf since a rather regrettable incident at the end of their sixth year.

Remus took his wand from his pocket and smirked when Severus narrowed his eyes, obviously thinking he was going to attack him. Remus instead pointed his wand at the suit of armor, and soon it was standing whole again against the wall.

"There," Remus said, "No harm done. I believe you have punished the two children enough. Go on and play in the dungeons now."

Snape's lips thinned and twisted. With a whoosh of his cloak, he turned on his heels and headed back down the hall in which he had come from, even though the quickest way to the dungeons was down the stairs, but, of course, he would have had to pass by Remus and his friends.

The two students walked over to Remus and his friends.

"I have never, ever seen someone stand up to Snape like you just did, sir!" the boy said, in amazement.

"When you've known him as long as I have," Remus said, "you'll know exactly how to stand up to him. Tall and proud – when you stand like that, everyone else cowers below you. What are your names?"

"I'm Charlie Weasley," Charlie said, "And this is Nymphadora – _OW _– Tonks, who does not like to be called by her first name. Did you have to kick my shin?"

"Yes," Nymphadora grunted, narrowing her eyes at Charlie.

"Weasley, hmm?" Remus asked, "Arthur and Molly's boy, then. One of six children, if I recall. All boys."

"Seven now, sir," Charlie said, "Except the youngest is a girl – my sister, Ginny. She just turned three in August."

"Arthur and Molly finally had a girl, huh?" Remus asked, then looked at the girl, "Tonks – my, my, could you be Andromeda and Teddy's little girl?"

"You know me?" Nymphadora asked, her eyes wide.

"Well, it has been a few years since we've met," Remus said, "Remus Lupin. I'm a friend of your mother's cousin, Sirius."

"I remember!" Nymphadora said, "Mum said you didn't believe cousin Sirius was innocent. She said you and her had a big fight."

"Gee, has there been anyone you _haven't _fought with concerning Sirius, Remus?" Aletha asked.

"I have recently come into conclusion that Sirius is innocent," Remus said to Nymphadora, ignoring  
Aletha, "Tell your Mum I'm working toward getting him out of Azkaban."

"Yes, sir!" Nymphadora said.

"Tell her also to expect a letter from me soon," Remus said, "Something has recently come up she'd like to know about."

"Okay," Nymphadora said.

"We must be going, we have a meeting with your Headmaster," Remus said, "Watch out for suits of armor now, they tend to stick out their feet at passing students, something Snape knows all too well."

"I _knew _it!" Nymphadora said, "Bye, sir!"

Nymphadora and Charlie ran past them toward the Grand Staircase.

"So that was little Dora," Lily said, fondly, "My, she's gotten big."

"Still clumsy as ever," James snickered, then sobered up, "Remus, care to tell me why you weren't so surprised to see _Snivellus _here?"

"Dumbledore hired him onto the staff as Potions Master two years ago after Horace Slughorn resigned," Remus said, "Saw it in the Prophet when it happened."

"Albus hired _him_?" James asked, "Is he insane? Snape's a Death Eater!"

"He never told me why," Remus said, "only said he has his reasons..."

"Well, this is just one more thing we'll need to find out then," James said.

"Now, _Harold,_" Lily said, "Don't ruin our plan by revealing ourselves prematurely because of your past history with Severus."

"Yes, dear," James grunted.

Remus and his friends made their way toward the Headmaster's office. Soon they were in front of the large stone gargoyle that stood as sentry outside the office.

"Remus Lupin and friends here to see Albus Dumbledore," Remus stated to the gargoyle, "He is expecting us."

The stone gargoyle sprang to life and stepped aside. Meghan cooed in amazement from her stroller, as she stared at the gargoyle. The wall the gargoyle had been guarding melted in on itself, and formed into an archway, revealing a staircase beyond. Remus led his friends up the stairs and into the Headmaster's office.

Albus Dumbledore, the aging Headmaster of Hogwarts, looked up as they entered and stood.

"Mr. Lupin," he said, "Good morning. And Miss Freeman, if I am not mistaken? And…"

Remus was about to introduce James and Lily as their disguised names when Albus suddenly sank into his chair and stared in James and Lily's direction.

"It seems I am going to have to check my wards," he said, "If it is allowing disguised guests to make their way into this castle. Please disenchant yourselves, the two of you. There is no one untrustworthy in this room."

Remus looked at James and Lily, who were looking at each other, then Remus. He frowned and nodded. James and Lily took their wands from their pockets and waved them toward themselves. Soon, they were back to their normal appearances. Remus turned back to Albus, whose eyes were still gazing at the Potters.

"My, oh, my," Albus simply said. "Please, sit down, all of you. Lemon drops?"

Two loveseats appeared in front of Albus' desk.

"Are they laced with Calming Potion as per usual?" James asked as he sat down with Lily on one of the loveseats.

"You were always too clever for me, Mr. Potter," Albus said;.

"Cut the crap, Albus," Remus said, in an uncharacteristic growl he usually never showed in front of his old Headmaster, "Why do you not look surprised to see James and Lily?"

"My dear boy, I am surprised," Albus said, "Just not in a way you would guess. I was expecting to see them at the very least two years ago."

"Ironic when everyone who knew them thought them murdered _three years ago,_" Aletha said.

Albus sighed deeply. "Please allow me to explain. On January 15th of 1981, I did something no other wizard has ever done before."

"January 15th?" James asked, "The day we moved to Godric's Hollow."

"Indeed," Albus said, "Before I left the house that day, after our conversation discussing the need of a Secret Keeper, I performed an extremely complicated, extremely rare, and extremely dangerous spell on the three residents in the house."

"_Three_?" Lily asked, "Including Harry?"

"Indeed," Albus said, "In his case, it did not do anything to him, and I lifted the spell from him many months later. The spell, you see, cast a protection of sorts around you. As I said, the spell is complicated. It is worded specifically to work on a particular sort of person. That person has to be targeted for death. Meaning, somebody in the world had to make a solemn vow to commit murder on that person, and in fact go through with it, without hesitation. In this sense, this vow they took, which is nothing like an Unbreakable Vow, or vows like it, is Dark magic in itself, as murder is Dark in nature."

"You speak of Voldemort," Lily said, "He was the one who made this solemn vow to murder us."

"Indeed," Albus said, "Once he set his plan in motion, he never hesitated, never thought 'I should not commit these murders'. When I heard he was targeting you, I started working on this spell. I labeled it 'rare', because I am the creator, and before today I have never spoken of it. The protection spell I cast on you is Light in nature. In fact it could be the most powerful Light-category spell in existence. You see, when Voldemort cast the Killing Curse on the two of you, the first stage of the spell activated. The stage that protects you from the Curse."

"But that is impossible," Remus said, "The Killing Curse is absolute. Nobody is supposed to survive it."

"Then how is Harry alive, I ask?" Albus asked, "If the spell is absolute?"

Remus frowned.

"Very few people in the world know what I am about to tell you – the Killing Curse is not absolute," Albus said, "Harry survived it because of his mother's love for him."

Lily's eyes became damp, and Albus smiled.

"It is an old magic," he said. "Lily's sacrifice protected him from death."

"Sacrifice?" James asked, "She's here – alive, Albus!"

"Ah, my mistake," Albus said, "I meant Lily _believed _she was about to die. I will take a guess, Lily, and say you jumped in front of Voldemort's wand, ready to sacrifice yourself if it meant Harry could live."

"Yes," Lily sniffled.

"That protected him," Albus said, "As for the two of you, I am not clear on exactly what happened. Voldemort must have believed you dead, so he must have seen your bodies. I expect that was the second stage of the spell. Let's call it the possum stage, as it is usually referred to as 'playing possum' when one fakes their death. Then the spell's final stage, the most important stage, activated. You see, the final stage is even more complicated than protecting you from the Killing Curse. The final stage _sends you forward in time._"

"That's preposterous," Remus scoffed. "Everyone knows time travel to the future is basically impossible, not to mention dangerous!"

"Ah, but you see, I have always made it my life's mission to make the impossible possible," Albus said, his eyes twinkling; he sighed and looked at his desk. "Unfortunately, not even I can perfectly perform every spell. When I created the spell, it was supposed to bring the – for want of a better term, victims – of the spell forward in time anywhere between a day and a year forward in time. I may have miscalculated just a tiny bit."

Snorts came from the four other adults in the room.

"When many were celebrating a year since Voldemort's downfall," Dumbledore said, "I was in mourning. Not only because it was the anniversary of that horrible night, but because it had been a full year since my spell activated. Neither of you appeared. I was sure I had failed."

"This was the reason James and Lily's caskets were never open for public view during the funeral," Remus realized, "Because there were no bodies in those caskets."

"Oh, no, there were bodies," Albus said, "In a sense."

"Excuse me?" Remus asked.

"The Ministry officials had to see bodies before they believed James and Lily dead," Albus said. "I transfigured a couple of logs into bodies, confounded the Ministry official who officiated over the bodies, and took care of the funeral myself. It was closed casket, because – shocking it may be to believe - I am not infallible, and I feared the bodies would turn back into logs halfway through the service."

"So you made myself, Aletha, Sirius, and the rest of the world believe James and Lily were dead for three years?" Remus asked, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Two reasons," Albus said, "One, I didn't want to get your hopes up, in case the spell didn't work. And two, how do you think the Death Eaters would react if they discovered their master had completely failed? In truth, I was protecting Harry."

A look of recognition crossed his face. "I should have expected this."

"You were protecting Harry?" James echoed, "So you _do _know where he currently is."

"Of course," Albus said.

"Well?" James asked, impatiently, "Where is he? Lily and I would like our son back in our lives."

"I would very much like this as well," Albus said, "First and foremost, because it solves a problem I've been going over for the past couple of days. Unfortunately, it may be much more difficult than we believe."

"I do not care how difficult it is, Dumbledore!" James growled, getting to his feet, "I want my son back. Lily and I want our lives back!"

"Even if it meant risking your son's life in the process?" Albus asked.

James froze and stared at Albus.

"What do you mean, Albus?" Lily asked.

"The Dark Mark returned three days ago, on Halloween night," Albus said.

James, Lily and Aletha yelped in surprise, causing Meghan to cry. Aletha picked her daughter up from her stroller and comforted her.

"Why are we just now hearing about this?" Remus asked, "I'm sure the Prophet –"

"It was kept quiet by Bartemius Crouch and all who witnessed it," Albus said.

"_Crouch,_" Aletha scoffed, "I should have known my boss was behind this."

"He was not behind the cover-up," Albus said, "I was."

"Why?" Remus asked.

"Because – and until now only myself and Arabella Figg know what I am about to reveal - the Dark Mark appeared in the same neighborhood where Harry is now residing," Albus said.

"What?!" four voices said in unison; Meghan let out another upset cry from her mother's reaction.

"Two Muggles were murdered simply because of what I believe to be misinformation," Albus said, "The murders happened at Fourteen Privet Drive. Harry currently resides at –"

"Four Privet Drive," Lily said.

"Yes," Albus said.

"No," Lily said, "Tell me you're wrong."

"I'm not wrong," Albus said.

"Harry currently lives with MY SISTER?!" Lily growled.

James swore. Remus and Aletha both looked shocked.

"Albus, Petunia is against everything Harry is," Lily said, "Ever since – ever since she received a letter from _you _refusing her admittance to Hogwarts."

"Your sister is a Muggle," Albus said, "There was no way –"

"I know that," Lily said, "Did Petunia care? No! And because of that, everything she thought about my magical abilities made her believe what she was insisting upon for two years prior – that I, and everyone like me, were freaks! She has _hated _everything to do with me and the wizarding world ever since then, and – and – and you sent my _son _to live with her?!"

"Lily, the magic that surrounded your sacrifice still lives in Harry's blood to this day," Albus said. "But it needed an anchor. As long as Harry resided in a house where your blood had foundation, he would be protected from harm."

"Well, it looks like it didn't work since there was a Dark Mark and murders – probably by one or more Death Eaters - in the area!" Lily said.

"It actually _did _work, Lily," Albus said, "The protection may have assisted in the misinformation."

"I've had enough of this, of _you,_" Lily said, "Take me to my son _now_."

"You clearly do not understand the consequences," Albus said, "In order to give you your custody back of your son, legally, you would have to be legally seen as alive again." Albus raised a hand to stop Lily and James when they began to reply. "I know this is your wish. But think about it, please. You two do not know what it has been like since Halloween three years ago."

"Enlighten us," James said, sarcasm ringing through his voice.

Albus closed his eyes for a moment, then continued. "It is believed that there are still numerous Death Eaters out there free among us. Death Eaters whom only escaped prison sentences because they made the Ministry and the Wizengamot believe they were under Voldemort's control via Imperius Curse and snapped out of it when he vanished – note I say, vanished, I don't believe him dead. However, Death Eaters believe _you_dead. This recent attack has proven that Death Eaters are still searching for your son. If word gets out you two are alive, not only do you endanger your son, you endanger yourselves."

"So be it," Lily said.

"What?" Albus, Remus and Aletha all asked.

"_So be it,_" Lily repeated. "So we'd be exactly where we were three years ago."

"Lily, think about it," Remus said.

"Think about what?" Lily asked, "James and I want our son. I'm sure you want Sirius out of Azkaban. The only way we can do that is if we reveal we're alive."

"Sirius?" Albus asked.

Remus, Lily, James and Aletha spent the next few minutes informing Albus of Sirius' innocence. Albus' expression mixed with relief, concern, anger and sadness.

"Okay, say we don't inform the Ministry we're alive yet," James said, "What would it take? Could we get our son back? We'd die before we let any harm come to him. I think we already proved that once."

"Yes, James," Albus said, "I do believe you can have custody of your son. Give me the rest of the day to work things out and tomorrow I'll take you to him."

"I know where he is now," Lily said.

"Lily, please give me this one courtesy," Albus said, "I promise you'll see your son in less than twenty-four hours."

Lily narrowed her eyes, then sighed. "Fine. What do you want us to do now?"

"I invite the five of you to stay here for the rest of the day," Albus said, "James, Lily, I ask two things of you. Please use your disguises for the rest of the day while you're here. But first I need you to reveal your true identities to one of my staff."

"Please don't say Severus," Remus muttered.

Dumbledore smiled. "No, that is their choice to reveal their true identities to Professor Snape. I am talking about someone else the four of you will fondly recall if memory serves – Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. I do not know the long-term effects of my spell, and I need her to check you two over, James, Lily, to make sure you are in fine health. I trust her to keep your true identities a secret. After I escort you to the hospital wing, I will show Remus, Aletha and this darling child to the private quarters. Do you accept my invitation?"

"Yes," four voices said.

"On our way, you can explain to us why you hired a Death Eater as your Potions Master," James said.

"I'm afraid I cannot," Albus said, "That is a matter between Severus and I. It will be Severus who will give you that explanation when he chooses – if he chooses."

"But _a Death Eater_?!" James asked.

"_James,_" Lily said, then looked at Albus, "We accept."

"Wonderful," Albus said, "Allow me a moment to give Madam Pomfrey a warning of our arrival."

Albus stood and walked across the office, and over to his fireplace.

"James," Remus said, "You do realize if you and Lily do not reveal yourselves to be alive, Sirius cannot be pardoned from Azkaban. He will not be free."

"Oh he'll be free," James said, with a smirk.

"Excuse me?" Remus asked, "How can you honestly believe –"

James turned and looked at Albus, then looked back at his friends.

"Simple," he whispered, "We're going to break him out."

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Lily Potter was laying in one of the beds in the hospital wing. It had been a rather exciting hour.

Before James could explain his sudden desire to break a man out of Azkaban prison – something that had never been done in the history of the prison – Albus had returned from giving his message to Madam Pomfrey, the Hogwarts head nurse. Then the five adults and one toddler made their way to the Hospital Wing. Albus had given Madam Pomfrey no warning of who exactly was coming into the Hospital Wing, so suffice it to say, when James and Lily once again let down their disguises, the nurse nearly fainted. After a dose of one of her own Calming Potions, she escorted James and Lily to two separate beds. Albus left with Remus, Aletha and Meghan to show them their private quarters for the rest of the day, after promising he would be back soon to do the same for James and Lily.

Now Lily, having been thoroughly checked over with diagnostic spells, was waiting for her results. She had not talked to James since their check-ups, and at the moment, Lily wasn't sure she wanted to talk to James. She could not believe he had suggested to break Sirius out of prison. She had silently agreed to hide her and James' return from the world, as long as it meant she could have her son back.

Lily was sure her ears were steaming. She could not believe Harry had been living with her sister for the past three years. In fact, she had passed up that theory when she thought of where he could have possibly been, because she thought – wrongly – that Albus had not been that insane. Lily had a very bad feeling about what she would discover when she would once again see her son. Petunia _hated _Lily and James – there was no way she would treat Harry like her own son.

Lily's thoughts were broken as the privacy curtains opened and Madam Pomfrey appeared. She closed the curtains behind her and turned to Lily.

"Mrs. Potter, I have only good news for you," she said, "For someone I thought had been dead for the past three years, you are as healthy as a hippogriff."

"Well, that is good news indeed," Lily said.

"Yes, you and your baby are just fine," Pomfrey said.

Lily froze. "B-baby?"

"Yes, I thought it was odd, myself," Pomfrey said, "I mean – hearing Albus' explanation – but, yes, Mrs. Potter – if my diagnostics are correct, you are currently six weeks pregnant."

Lily slowly covered her mouth with a hand, as she felt tears in her eyes.

"I take it you weren't aware?" Pomfrey asked.

Lily slowly shook her head.

"Well, congratulations then," Pomfrey said, "I'll be back with one last potion – just a simple Calming Potion."

Lily nodded, and Madam Pomfrey disappeared through the curtains. Lily stared at her flat belly and brushed a hand against it. Tears overwhelmed her and she sank her face into the pillow. After the information overload she had just been through in Albus' office, this was almost too much to handle.

* * *

_Well, if this is not my craziest dream yet…_

Gertrude "Danger" Granger was having another dream.

She was currently standing just inside the doors of a very large room. There were stone walls and marble floors. To the left and right, on the walls, two fireplaces stood dozens of feet from each other. At the opposite end of the room, sunlight shone in through a very tall window almost as tall as the room. And the ceiling – was it a ceiling, or did the room just open up into the heavens? No, Danger could definitely see the wooden rafters of the room, but she could also see a bright cloudless sky as well.

_How very peculiar…__  
__  
_Bench-like seats were in rows, and seated in these seats were a number of people Danger could not recognize. White ribbons and flowers were everywhere.

Then music began to play overhead – processional music of some kind.

_It would appear I am at some kind of wedding.__  
__  
_Two pairs of bridesmaids and ushers walked sedately down the aisle, followed by a maid of honor – Danger could not recognize anyone of these from the backs of their heads - and finally the crowd rose to its feet to signify the arrival of the bride.

Danger then realized everyone was staring at her. She looked at herself and realized she was dressed in white – a bridal gown.

_My god, I do believe this is _my _wedding. Well, here comes the bride…__  
__  
_The music changed to the traditional march and Danger walked slowly down the aisle toward her destination. As she arrived, she looked at the wedding party. On the grooms' side, Danger thought she recognized a couple of them from a recent dream.

_Yes, a man named Sirius and a man named James – only I swear I saw James get killed in my dream. And beside him… a younger looking version of him, possibly his son. And on the bridesmaids side – there's that woman Lily, from my dream and a young girl – her daughter? – no she does not __resemble Lily much. And the third… she looks very familiar… that face… I have not seen that face in many years, could it be Aletha?__  
__  
_Danger looked to her right then her left and found a peculiar sight. A young girl that resembled her…

_It is not me, so then it must be Neenie. My, if this is what she will really look like at that age, then she going to be quite beautiful. __  
__  
_Neenie was sitting next to a red-headed boy who appeared to be Neenie's age. Next to them were another boy, white-blonde hair, beside him a girl with blonde hair. On Hermione's other side was another young girl – her skin a mulatto color -

_If my bridesmaid is Aletha, then perhaps that is her daughter, she's gorgeous.__  
__  
_Next to the girl was a young man with short, curly brown hair. Next to them was a young girl who closely resembled Lily more than the young girl in the bridal party.

_And now for the prince of my dreams…__  
__  
_Danger looked at the man standing in the direct middle of the wedding party. He had a rather handsome face, if not slightly scarred in places – _what happened to him? _Danger wondered. His hair was light brown and his eyes were blue and extremely familiar to Danger.

_Where have I seen those eyes before?__  
__  
_Danger finished her trek and made her way beside this stranger she had never met before, but if he was real, she very much wanted to know him.

_But how could this be something that could possibly be real later on__? I have not seen Aletha Freeman in going on fifteen years, and James was murdered in my dream, and quite possibly his wife. And they are here…__  
__  
Well, if this __is only but a dream, then I do not want to wake up.__  
__  
_In front of them stood yet another person from a dream. Danger was sure this man was named Albus.

Albus said Danger's name, but just when he was about to say the groom's name, Danger awoke from her dream.

"No, no, no," Danger sighed, as she stared at the ceiling of Mrs. Figg's spare bedroom, "I wanted to know the name of my prince. He was handsome, if scarred, but that made him so much more."

She closed her eyes and smiled.

"If he only exists in dreams, may I never wake again," she mused quietly, before she sank into slumber again.

* * *

**Whew! Chapter is finally done. This is definitely the most important chapter yet. It starts many important events coming over the next few chapters. As you can see, it has been decided that Lily and James are keeping their identities secret from most of the wizarding world**** for now****. But every choice has consequences! Only one of those consequences has to do with their plans for Sirius' freedom!**  
**  
****For those of you wondering, Lily did not reveal her pregnancy to anyone yet, nor has she revealed herself to Snape yet. Those will happen in the future… when? Well, just keep reading.****  
****  
If you think hard enough, you might be able to recognize most of the described wedding guests.****  
****  
I do hope Albus' explanations were believable. ****  
****  
Next chapter – what everyone has been waiting for! Lily and James finally find Harry! And Danger meets the prince of her dreams, and sparks one of the most famous conversations in the entire Dangerverse saga – those who are at least a tiny bit familiar with the saga know ex****actly what I am talking about. ****  
****  
Note: Nymphadora Tonks and Charlie Weasley are first years.****  
****  
**


	8. Schemes and Staff Meetings

**Chapter 8  
Schemes and Staff Meetings**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

**Author's Note: ****Er… my apologies, you have to wait for the reunion and Danger meeting her prince for ONE more chapter. This chapter is almost a transition one, but it discusses some very important things when it comes to storyline.**

* * *

Early on Monday morning, Lily and James, Remus, and Aletha and her daughter, Meghan, were dining on breakfast that a couple of house-elves had brought up to their private quarters for them. In an hour, they were to meet Albus Dumbledore in his office, where they would then head off to Little Whinging, Surrey.

"Fifteen minutes," Remus muttered, as he looked down at his meal, "I've been living fifteen minutes from where Harry's been for the past three years, and I had no clue."

"Moony," James sad, "That is the third time you've said that in eighteen hours. Please stop thinking about that."

"Distract me then," Remus said.

"How?" James inquired.

"Oh, I don't know," Remus said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "How about you tell us exactly what you meant when you said 'we will break Sirius out of Azkaban.' How about that?"

Lily looked up from her breakfast, toward her husband. He had been annoyingly silent about that very thing until now. Of course, to be fair, Lily had been just as silent about another certain bit of information she had found out the day before. She refrained from massaging her stomach at this thought, knowing that Aletha, as a fellow mother, would probably know exactly what she was doing.

_I will keep it a secret until I see fit. For now, the four of us have plenty of other things on our minds to worry about. __  
__  
_"Ever since I said it, I have been thinking a lot about that very thing, Moony," James said.

"In other words, you didn't think about it one bit _before _you said it, correct?" Remus asked, with an amused smile.

James looked at Lily. "He says we've been gone for three years, and still he can read me like a book, just as if those three years of separation had never happened."

Lily shoveled a spoonful of scrambled eggs into her mouth to refrain from laughing.

"First off, Prongs," Remus said, "it has been nearly four years since I've seen you, thanks to those nearly-eleven-months of isolation, before that fateful Halloween nights. Second, who here besides me can read James like an open book?"

Lily and Aletha each raised a hand.

"_Traitors," _James muttered.

"Third," Remus said, "Please get on with what you have thought about, and do keep in mind that what you are suggesting _has ne__ver been done before_."

"The Marauders are well-known for doing things that have never been done before," James said, then raised fingers and began counting off, "Closely befriending a young man whose most common trait with women is he has a time of the month in which he becomes extremely moody, unless assisted by medicine, and it is just natural for him."

Lily, Aletha and Remus all glared at Prongs.

"Two," James pressed on, apparently immune to the glares his wife and friends had given him, "Becoming unregistered Animagi at the age of fifteen. Three, received a detention before the Sorting Hat even could begin its song –"

"You made your point, Prongs!" Remus growled, impatiently, "Get on with it."

"First, answer me this," James said, "Name one thing a wizard is capable of that is immune to a Dementor's abilities, besides conjuring a Patronus? I'll give you a hint: it is also immune to werewolves in that way."

"Becoming an animal," Remus said.

"Exactly!" James said."

"So what are you saying?" Aletha asked, "You'll become Prongs and sneak past Dementors and free Sirius?"

"Me?" James asked, then shook his head, "Oh, no. Even if I did find a way to Apparate onto the island, which is a lot more possible than Apparating _off – _nobody wants to be there, so who on Earth would desire Apparating there? -_- _deer are definitely not the best to swim long distances. Canines are built for swimming long distances."

James looked at Remus, who glared at his best friend. "James…"

"You don't want to do it?" James asked, then scoffed. "Some best friend you are. You think Letha, here, was on your case for you believing Sirius was guilty. How do you think Sirius will react when he discovers his _friend _thought he was guilty."

"Sirius apparently thought I was the traitor!" Remus exclaimed, "And don't get me started on you and Lily –"

"Leave me out of this," Lily said.

"Yeah, leave her out of this," James said, "Moony, the point is you still believed he was guilty – for three years, you believed he was guilty. Sirius - and let's face it, we're talking about the man who knows how to keep a grudge - will not forgive you quickly, unless you do something for him."

"Say I do agree to take part in this," Remus said, "Okay, forget the fact that it may be impossible to apparate on the island, and probably impossible to swim that far from Azkaban island to the shore, and I have to be of sane mind in my wolf-form, which means we have to wait until the next full moon – let's just say all of that is possible. I have never been to Azkaban, thankfully enough. I have no idea where Sirius is. How exactly am I supposed to find him?"

"Aletha can help you there," James said.

"Excuse me?" Aletha asked.

"Your department still has the blueprints of Azkaban, does it not?" James asked.

"Sure," Aletha said, "In Crouch's office."

"Aletha, you hate Crouch, yes?" James asked, and Aletha nodded, "Ever since he sent Sirius to Azkaban without a trial, correct?" Another nod. "You can't tell me you haven't wanted to do something to him in the past three years. You can't tell me you wouldn't do anything for Sirius."

Aletha frowned and looked at her daughter. She then nodded yet again. "I'll do it. I have – what? – nearly a month to find a way."

"Full moon is the final day of November," Remus said.

"If anyone knows the cycles of the moon, it's the werewolf," James said, then winked when Remus glared at him.

"This is absolutely crazy," Remus said.

"Crazy enough to work?" James asked.

Remus frowned at his meal, then shrugged and smiled. "Yeah."

"So you'll do it?" James asked.

"I just know I'm going to regret this," Remus said, "Yes, I'll do it."

"YES!" James said, raising a fist in triumph.

"I should have told the Sorting Hat to stuff it the day it sorted me in Gryffindor because it said I needed friends," Remus said.

"Aw, where would you be without us, Moony?" James asked.

"Slytherin," Remus said, "Dark creature, remember?"

"Exactly how long have you been wanting to say that one?" Lily inquired.

"Thirteen years," Remus said, his lips twitching.

The four adults laughed for a whole minute before returning to their meals. As she was eating, a thought came to Lily's mind and she couldn't believe it had completely passed the minds of her, James or her friends during the conversation.

"You do realize that if we go through with this," she said, "we're criminals. Everyone thinks Sirius is guilty of the crimes he was imprisoned for. We're breaking a prisoner out of Azkaban."

"Well, you and James have already agreed to go into hiding _again,_" Remus said, "Who says Sirius can't go into hiding with you? Hell, I'll do the same."

"Remus, you can't give up your life to do that," Lily said.

"Before Halloween, I really had no life for three years, Lily," Remus said, "I could hardly find work – even in the Muggle community. I was usually sacked after missing so many days a month. I'm not giving up my life if I'm with you guys. I'm getting it back."

Lily looked at James, and swore she saw an inkling of a tear in one of his eyes.

"If Sirius has to hide, I'm in," Aletha said.

"Letha, no," Lily said, "You have a job, and your daughter –"

"I hate my job already, simply because I work for Crouch," Aletha said, "For months, I've wanted to leave, but I could not because of Meghan. If this works, and Sirius is free, my Department is going to be a mad-house. They'll be looking for any leads to find Sirius, and who do you think they'll look to first? Remus, perhaps you first, but then me, his former (as far as they know) girlfriend. As for Meghan -"

She glanced at her daughter for a moment, who was playing with the food on her plate.

"She'll have Harry to play with," she said, "and she'll have her father in her life. She'll be the happiest little girl in the world."

"Aletha, your sudden leave from work would make you a suspect," Remus said.

"So be it," Aletha grunted, "If it comes to it – if suspicions raise about our sudden disappearances, or things become too hot to handle, in other words - we could always leave the country until things here post-breakout die down. Even if it is for a couple years. Maybe by then, the Death Eaters will have been captured, or gone into hiding themselves, and James and Lily, you two can let the world know you're alive, and that Sirius is innocent. Look, going away would be easy. I have an aunt in the States who loves me and hasn't seen me in years, not since my parents died. She'd love to have me and my friends over for a visit."

Lily looked at James and Remus, and neither had anything more to argue against Aletha's reasons.

_I wonder how it will change when I reveal of our soon-to-be newest addition of our family. I'll let them know after all this excitement dies down. Besides, seeing James _and _Harry's faces at the same time when__ I break the news will be the best thing I've ever seen.__  
__  
_"So we're really going through with this?" Lily asked, "Breaking out Sirius, and sending us all into hiding right along with him."

James, Remus and Aletha nodded.

"Okay," James said, "This means we have just under a month to work everything out before our lives get crazy – crazier than they are, I mean. If we're staying in country for as long as possible, then we're going to need a place we can all live in together…"

* * *

Meanwhile at Number Four Privet Drive, Harry Potter was sitting at the kitchen table finishing up his small bowl of steaming hot porridge. His uncle aunt and cousin Dudley had a full traditional English breakfast.

"Today is an important day," Uncle Vernon stated, "today, I meet with Mr. Grunning with my proposal for an upgrade on our biggest line of power-drills. If everything works out, I could have my very first promotion I've been working at for six years."

"How wonderful, darling!" Aunt Petunia said, her voice fluttering.

"It isn't a corner office or anything like that, of course," Vernon said, "But it is getting there, it is definitely _getting there_. What say you, son?"

Dudley swallowed his mouthful of food and looked at his father. His face scrunched up – Harry recognized this as concentration and trying to figure out an answer. He had last seen it the day before when Petunia had asked him what three-plus-two added up to. Petunia hadn't seen Harry raise up one hand behind her. Unfortunately, neither had Dudley, so he got the answer wrong.

"Chin up and good luck," Dudley finally said after a minute.

"Attaboy!" Vernon said, with a grin, "Chin up. It always makes you look taller than you are."

Vernon's beady eyes turned to Harry. "Boy, if everything works out tonight, I will be taking my family out to dinner this evening. You are allowed to come along if you earn that right first."

Harry looked at his uncle questioningly.

"You are old enough, boy, to start doing work around this house, and earning your place here," Vernon said.

Harry looked from his uncle to cousin. Dudley was a month older than him, and he had not done any work lately.

"After that rather blustery weekend," Vernon continued, "The tree in the backyard lost most of its leaves. Those leaves happen to be all over the backyard, making a mess of it. You will rake those leaves into a neat pile and put them in a rubbish bag."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said.

"If I see one leaf on the ground," Vernon said, "You will not be going with us tonight, and you will go without dinner."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said.

Vernon finished up the last of his breakfast, wiped the excess food from his chins and moustache, then stood up.

"I must be off," he said.

He ruffled Dudley's hair, then kissed Petunia on the cheek.

"Good luck, dear," Petunia said, "Have a wonderful day."

"Dress your best tonight!" Vernon said, then marched out of the kitchen.

Petunia looked at Harry and narrowed her eyes.

"Hurry up with that porridge, boy," she said, "The rake is in the shed behind the house."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said.

Harry took another bite of porridge, and drank a small sip of water to remove the heat from his mouth. As he finished his breakfast, his mind went back to that wonderful dream he had the previous night. It was about a faceless man and woman who had come by the house and took him away to their wonderful house, where they had a black dog, and a large bedroom to himself…

Then his mind went back to what his Uncle Vernon had once said:

_"Dreams are a fool'__s wishes. They're never real, so stop talking about such foolish nonsense!"__  
__  
_Harry wasn't sure if he wanted his dream to be real or not. Because if it was, and he did get away from his Aunt and Uncle, he might never get to see Danger and Neenie ever again…

* * *

Meanwhile in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore glanced down at his pocket-watch for but a moment. It was nearly eight-o-clock. Soon, the Potters, Remus Lupin, and Aletha Freeman and her daughter would be returning to the office, where they would be taking the Floo Network to Arabella Figg's house on Privet Drive.

But at the moment, Albus was currently in an unexpected staff meeting with three of his staff members: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall and Pomona Sprout.

"—Charlie Weasley complained to me last night that you, Severus, had unfairly taken points away from him yesterday," Minerva was saying, "And I would like to get to the bottom of this."

"I wasn't aware you defended students guilty of back-talking, Minerva," Severus said.

"Correcting you, Severus, is back-talking in your book?" Minerva asked.

"What exactly did Mr. Weasley say happened?" Albus asked, and when Severus opened his mouth to speak, Albus raised his hand to stop him, "Minerva, he is your student. He filed the complaint to you. I want to hear it from you."

Albus noticed Severus' lips thin and twist, but he chose not to comment on it.

"Mr. Weasley says he and his fellow first year, of Hufflepuff," Minerva said, then looked at Pomona, who narrowed her eyes at Severus, "Miss Nymphadora Tonks were walking down a corridor here on the first floor, when Miss Tonks accidentally tripped over one of the suits of armor."

"The suit of armors were against the walls," Severus said, "There is plenty of space to walk in that corridor, as you know Headmaster, since you venture it every day to get here, sir. Let us not forget that there have been many incidents of Miss Tonks' clumsiness. In my class, she –"

"Enough, Severus," Albus said, "Continue, Minerva."

Severus' lips thinned once again.

"Mr. Weasley stated that Severus took ten points from Gryffindor for Miss Tonks' clumsiness," Minerva said. "As I stated before, Miss Tonks is a _Hufflepuff. _Mr. Weasley informed Severus of this mishap, and ten points were taken from Hufflepuff. But ten points were also taken from Gryffindor… Mr. Weasley says it was for his _cheek, _as Severus told him."

"Severus?" Albus asked, "Is this true?"

Snape glared at Minerva. "Yes, Headmaster."

"It was unfair docking of points, Severus," Albus said, "I ask that the next time you see Mr. Weasley – he has Potions today, if I recall correctly – you give him those ten points back, even if it is because he picked up a simple tissue or something."

"Yes, Headmaster," Severus said.

"Very good," Albus said, then looked at Pomona, "Yes, Pomona? Before we continue, let me say that Severus' docking of points from Hufflepuff for Miss Tonks' unfortunate mishap was not unjust. Though in the future, I believe we should be more wary around these common antics and mishaps of our students. Tripping over a suit of armor is not rule-breaking, it is called _being human. _It happens. What is your concern, Pomona?"

"I would like to advise you of looking more into Severus' history of point-docking," Pomona said. "Charlie Weasley was not the first victim of Severus' unfair docking of points. I ask you, Severus, exactly how many points have Slytherin gained in the last week because of you, and how many have they lost?"

"We will take this up at the next staff meeting, Pomona," Albus said, as he glanced at a paperweight on his desk: this particular paper-weight would move ever-so-slightly whenever the gargoyle guarding the office let somebody through. Albus knew who these new visitors were. "Class will be starting in less than an hour and I would not want your lessons delayed because of me. Minerva, I will be leaving the castle for a couple hours or so. You are in charge."

"Yes, Headmaster," Minerva said.

Albus looked past them toward the door of his office, and Minerva, Severus and Pomona all took this as a request to leave. They turned and walked toward the stairwell leading out of the office. Just as they reached the door, Remus and his friends passed them by. Albus smiled when he noticed the look on James Potter's disguised face as he passed Severus.

"Welcome!" Albus said, as he stood, "We will be leaving very shortly."

When he heard the familiar sound of the wall at the bottom of the stairs move back into place, alerting him of the three Professors' exits, Albus walked around his desk.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, you may remove your disguises," Albus said; after they did so, he continued, "I have been very busy since we last met yesterday. First off, I spoke with the Gringotts goblins, specifically one named Griphook. Familiar to you?"

"Our Vault's Keeper," James said.

"Indeed," Albus said, "As you know, goblins rarely care for the troubles or politics of humans, as long as it does not affect them. Griphook knows that the two of you, James and Lily, are not dead. He was rather surprised when your names on a certain document he handles, when it comes to your vaults, were suddenly void of the term 'deceased' under your names. He knows of your disguises, and your disguised names. If you have a wish to meet with him at Gringotts soon, he will take you to your vault."

"Thank you, Albus," James said, and Lily nodded.

"It is not a problem," Albus said, smiling, "Miss Freeman, has your daughter experienced traveling by the Floo Network before?"

"Yes," Aletha said, looking rather surprised, "Twice. With me, of course."

"Excellent," Albus said, "We will be taking Floo Powder to Arabella Figg's residence. She lives right across the street from Harry and the Dursleys. She has already been made aware of your return, James, Lily, and was quite emotional and happy."

"Arabella Figg?" James asked, "As in a member of the Order?"

"Indeed," Albus said, "She has been watching Harry for me for the past three years. The Dursleys do not know of her connections to the wizarding world. I hope you do not see this as me stepping on too many boundaries. Arabella and Griphook are very trustworthy and would never give away the knowledge of your return to just anyone."

"We trust you, Albus," Lily said, and James, Remus and Aletha all nodded.

"Very good," Albus said, and walked over to his fireplace. "Come now. Arabella is waiting and I doubt you want to keep Harry waiting very much longer."

* * *

_Mum and Dad,_  
_  
Cousin Sirius' friend Remus Lupin came by Hogwarts yesterday for a meeting with Professor Dumbledore. Apparently he no longer believes Sirius is guilty of his crimes, because he said he's going to help Sirius get out of Azkaban. He also said he's going to write to you soon about something.__  
__  
School's fine. Tripped over a suit of armor again, and lost ten points for Hufflepuff from Snape. It's not like it is my fault. It isn't! Remus also told me the suits of armor stick out their feet and trip students. So apparently I'm innocent. __  
__  
Charlie says hi.__  
__  
Love,__  
__  
Dora__  
__  
_

* * *

**Chapter finished. ****  
****  
Next chapter – err, everything I teased that was supposed to happen THIS chapter. ****  
****  
****My sincere apologies. This chapter ran away with itself! As you can see, they are now on their way to Privet Drive, so you just have to wait just a little longer! **


	9. Reunions, Part 1

**Chapter 9  
Reunions, Part 1**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.

* * *

Arabella Figg of Number Five Privet Drive, Little Whinging Surrey, was currently sitting in the living room, reading the morning's edition of the Daily Prophet. She never took much interest in the Daily Prophet, due to its extremely biased views of certain points in the wizarding world. She was only reading to pass the time while she waited for the arrival of Albus Dumbledore and his guests.

_At least the vultures have not got wind of the Dark Mark sighting just yet. But they will soon, I can guarantee that. Especially with their newest vulture they hired on just a few months ago. I have never seen anything more distasteful than what that new journalist Rita Skeeter has been writing. It is tabloid trash, and she should have never been allowed to write su__ch false, slanderous material!__  
_  
"Mrs. Figg?" a voice rang out.

Arabella set down the newspaper and saw Gertrude Granger, and her little sister, Hermione, standing near the archway of the living room.

"Neenie and I are going to walk down to the little store a couple blocks away to pick up some groceries," Gertrude said, "I think it is about time we go back to our own home."

"I do hope nothing is wrong with my hospitality?" Arabella asked.

"Oh, no, ma'am," Gertrude said, "Neenie just misses her own bedroom, and I need to go through some paperwork."

She turned to Hermione. "Wait by the door, sweetie. I'll be there soon."

Hermione nodded, waved to Arabella, who waved back, and the little girl walked away. Gertrude looked back at Arabella.

"Between you and me," she said, in a low voice, "Hermione and I might be leaving Privet Drive soon. Selling the house would give us some good money, and we have… well, no need any more for a four-bedroom house. Hermione doesn't know yet. I'm afraid she is going to object, because it would mean we'd have to leave Harry and he is her best friend."

Arabella frowned. _I wish I could tell her Harry won't be in the area after today, but it is not my news to tell._

"I completely understand," she decided to say, "Will I see you again today?"

"Yes, ma'am," Gertrude said, "Some of our things are still here. We'll be back in less than half-an-hour or so. Would you like us to pick up anything for you or your cats?"

"No, dear, I'm fine," Arabella said, "Have a nice walk."

"Thank you," Gertrude said, "You know – that newspaper. I swear earlier I saw one of the pictures moving. I must be going mental or something."

Arabella only smiled so as to not betray anything by speaking up. Gertrude smiled and left the room. Soon, Arabella heard the front door open and close.

_I have got to do better with Muggle-proofing my house. Though those two lovely dears aren't Muggles, but Muggleborn, if Albus is correct. They just don't know it yet.__  
__  
_Just then, Arabella heard a _whooshing _sound coming from the fireplace as the orange fire turned green. In a matter of a minute or so, her living room was suddenly full of six additional people.

"Albus," Arabella said, to her oldest friend, "How good to see you again."

"Arabella," Albus said.

Arabella searched through her guests, then found who she was looking for near the fireplace.

"James Tiberius Potter, you know better than to hide from me," she said, "I always found you when we played hide-and-seek when I babysat you."

"Sorry, Mrs. Figg," James Potter said.

The Potters walked past the others, toward Arabella, and she held out her arms. James smiled and embraced her in a hug. Arabella was in danger of crying.

"I wasn't sure if I could believe it when Albus told me yesterday," she said, as she backed away and hugged Lily, "But Albus knows better than to lie to me." She backed away from Lily. "Let me look at you two. I thought I'd never see your faces again."

"It is lovely to see you too, Arabella," Lily said.

"Arabella, we shouldn't keep Harry waiting," Albus said.

"Oh, of course not!" Arabella said.

Just then, the youngest member of the group began crying.

"Oh, her breakfast has finally run through her," Aletha Freeman said, "Arabella, do you mind if I change Meghan here?"

"Of course not, dear," Arabella said, "My spare bedroom is just down the hall. Nobody is currently there, at the moment. My two temporary guests have gone down to the grocery store."

"Thank you, ma'am," Aletha said, "Good luck, James, Lily. Meghan and I will be here waiting for you."

"I think I'll go with you," Remus Lupin said, "If only to stand guard outside."

Albus, James and Lily accepted this, and with Remus, the four of them made their way out of the house.

Arabella walked over to the front window and peered through the shades.

_I couldn't tell them. I wanted so badly to tell them everything I know about Vernon and Petunia Dursley's mistreatment of Harry, and I couldn't. But something tells me they'll find out very soon. Well, at least Harry will no longer have to be treated that way. __A joyous day this is…__  
_Arabella took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the tears running down her cheeks, that had been threatening to do so ever since she laid her eyes on James and Lily Potter.

* * *

Lily Potter was understandably nervous, as she walked across Privet Drive toward Number Four. She had been thinking about this moment ever since she had discovered exactly where Harry was currently residing. It had been three years since Harry had seen his parents. Lily wondered, as she had many times over the past few days if Harry would recognize her and James. He had been a baby when he had last seen them, not even two years old.

_Surely Petunia has at least one picture of me and James, for Harry's sake…__  
_  
Then, as her eyes fell on the front door of the house, another thought crossed her mind.

"Petunia does not know I'm alive," Lily whispered.

"Unfortunately, three years ago, I had no idea whether my spell would have worked," Albus said, "So, of course, I had to break the news of your death to her in the same letter in which I informed her that she was Harry's guardian. So yes, she believes you are dead."

"What's a little harm in surprising the cow, huh?" James asked, "Might even give her an early heart attack."

"James!" Lily hissed, "Petunia and I may have had our problems, but she is _still _my sister."

"Sorry, dear," James said.

"Everything will be fine," Remus assured Lily, "I'll be right out here if you all need me."

"Thank you, Moony," James said.

Remus bowed slightly, gave a reassuring smile to Lily, then stopped on the sidewalk on the edge of the Dursley's pristinely-kept lawn.

"Come on then," Albus said, and set off across the sidewalk that led to the front door.

Lily grasped James' hand firmly and the couple followed Albus down the sidewalk. Albus knocked on the front door and Lily inhaled a sharp breath. A moment later the door opened and Petunia Dursley stood there in an apron.

"Yes?" Petunia asked.

Lily noticed Petunia was only looking at Albus, and she wondered if he was blocking her from her sister's sight for the moment.

"Petunia Dursley, I am Albus Dumbledore," Albus said, "Perhaps you remember me?"

"Er…" Petunia said, "I don't think so."

_Liar,_ Lily thought,_ this is the man you said ruined your life thirteen years ago when he didn't accept your request to go to Hogwarts. You wouldn't forget someone who hurt you that bad.__  
__  
_"Very well," Albus said, "I have a couple of people here who would like to see Harry."

"Harry – Harry who?" Petunia asked, "I have never heard of a Harry, and he does not live here. Go away and never come –"

"LIAR!" Lily screamed.

Lily heard Petunia gasp, and Albus moved to his left, giving Petunia full-view of her sister.

"L-Lily?" Petunia stammered, "No, it can't be. He wrote to me, three years ago, and said you were dead!"

"Oh, so you do remember him?" Lily asked, crossing her arms to her chest.

Petunia visibly shuddered, then narrowed her eyes and looked at Albus. "This is some of your _freaky _magic, you old coot. I should have known your _rubbish _would bring back loved ones from the dead! She is some source of black magic, and she is not real!"

"Ladies," James said, just as Lily tried to retort, "We are causing a scene. Can't we go inside and sort this out?"

"You!" Petunia said, "I cannot believe my sister would marry someone like you. Mum and Daddy are rolling in their graves!"

"I thought you just said we were some source of black magic?" James asked, "Are we black magic, or am I the man you remember being introduced to? Do you accept she's your sister then? Can't have it both ways."

Petunia narrowed her eyes at James. "Get in here so my neighbors don't discover what _trash _has come into my house."

Lily and James walked past Petunia, and Albus followed. They made their way into the living room and Petunia followed. Lily turned and looked at her sister.

"Where is my son, Petunia?" she asked,

"H-Harry –" Petunia stammered.

"Yes, Harry," Lily said, "The boy you said you don't know, but I know for a fact you took him in. Where is he?"

"He is out back pl-playing in the leaves with my son," Petunia said, "Lily, is that really you?"

"Mum never cared if I jumped five or fifty feet off the swing at the playground as long as I was safe," Lily said.

Petunia's lips quivered.

"How much make-up to have to put over your eye to cover that scar," Lily asked, "The one you got when Severus made that tree branch fall on you?"

James snickered, but went silent when Lily glared at him.

"Lily," Petunia said, as tears sprang to her eyes.

"It's me, Tunie," Lily said.

Suddenly two voices came in from the direction of the back of the house.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"So what?"

"Aunt Petunia!

"_Muuum!"__  
__  
_Lily's eyes swam with tears when she saw the two boys appear in the living room. One was extremely fat, almost too fat to be healthy. The other… looked like a miniature version of James, glasses, uncouth hair and all… except he looked quite skinny for his age.

_Oh, Merlin, Harry, look at you!_

"Dudley jumped in the pile of leaves," Harry said, "And they are all over the back yard again!"

"Tell the boy to rake them up again!" Dudley said.

"_The boy?_" James muttered.

Harry's eyes went from Petunia, to Albus, and then to Lily and James.

"Who are these people?" Dudley asked.

Lily felt her stomach twist. _If Dudley doesn't recognize his aunt, then obviously he has not seen pictures, and if he has not seen pictures…__  
__  
_"Dudley, go rake up the leaves," Petunia said.

"Daddy told the boy to do it!" Dudley said.

"Dudley," Petunia said.

"But _Muuum!_" Dudley said.

"NOW!" Petunia growled.

Lily did not have time to look at Dudley's reaction, for she had just seen Harry's reaction to Petunia yelling. He had backed away against the wall…

_What does he think will happen whenever she raises her voice? __  
__  
_Dudley frowned and ran back from where he appeared.

"Petunia," Lily said, "I would like an explanation…"

"Why hear it from her, when you can hear it from Harry?" Albus asked.

"Y-you know my name?" Harry asked.

Lily slowly went to her knees and looked at Harry. Harry raised his eyebrows, curiously, as he looked at her.

"Er… hello," he said.

"Will you tell me what happened out there in the back yard?" Lily asked.

"Uncle Vernon told me to rake the leaves," Harry said, "Rake the leaves and put them in a rubbish bag. Not one leaf could be left on the ground when he got back. Uncle Vernon's at work trying to get a pro… pro…"

"A promotion," Petunia said, "He works for Grunning's Drill company."

"What's a drill?" James muttered.

"Dudley jumped in them, and now I have to do it all over again," Harry said, "Or…"

He frowned and looked at Petunia.

"Or what?" James asked.

"Vernon said he wouldn't take me with the family out to eat for dinner," Harry said, "And I wouldn't get dinner at all."

Lily looked at Petunia, who was looking at the floor.

"Sounds like quite the punishment," Lily said, curiously, "Has this ever happened before? Where you weren't allowed to have meals?"

Harry nodded.

"Albus, would we get in trouble if we used magic here?" Lily asked.

"No," Albus said, "but I would not advise…"

"I'm not going to attack anyone," Lily said, then glared at Petunia, "As much as she deserves it. Harry, this is going to be a little odd. You will see our lips moving, but you won't be able to hear anything. Okay?"

_The way he reacted when Petunia screamed at her son. It sounds as if he thinks he'd get in trouble whenever someone screams. And I am going to scream… it would be best if he doesn't hear this.__  
__  
_Harry nodded. Lily took out her wand and pointed it toward Harry.

"_Muffliato_," she said.

"Is that Snape's spell?" James asked.

"We'll talk about it later, darling," Lily asked, then turned to her sister, "Petunia, you better tell me what I want to hear. My son looks too skinny for his proper age, and don't you dare give me that tripe about Evans being skinny at that age. His clothes barely fit him. Are they even his?"

"D-Dudley's hand-me-downs," Petunia said, "Cost-cutting measures."

"Is it true Harry's been missing meals?" Lily asked.

"Yes," Petunia said.

"How many?" Lily asked, "Let's go with this recent week, yes? How many meals – three square meals a day, along with snacks – has he missed this past week."

"Five?" Petunia asked.

"Is this common?" Lily asked.

"Lily," Petunia said, "Please…"

"IS THIS COMMON?!" Lily shrieked.

"Yes," Petunia said.

"Malnutrition is just one aspect of child abuse," Lily asked, "I noticed when you yelled at Dudley, Harry backed away, as if you were yelling at him. Is this a common occurrence?"

"Yeah," Petunia said, "But only – only because he deserves it."

"Deserves it?" Lily asked, "You know what – no, I've heard enough already. Answer me this one last question… does my son know who I am? Does he know who James is? Don't lie to me, Tunie, my nephew doesn't know who I am."

"H-Harry's four years old," Petunia said, "He was one and a half when he came to our family. I thought you were _dead, _Lily. How do you think Harry would feel? If we didn't tell him about you, he would have grown up happier not knowing."

"Not knowing what?" James asked.

"Not knowing who or what we are," Lily said, "She was trying to stamp our magic out of Harry. No – don't lie to me, Tunie. Has Harry ever asked about us?" Petunia nodded. "What did you tell him? Never mind, I'll ask him myself. _Finite!"__  
__  
_She kneeled down again and looked at Harry.

"Hello, Harry," she said, "Do you know who I am?"

"I think I've seen you before," Harry said, "In a dream… recently."

Harry then walked out of the room, and Lily and James followed him. Harry opened up a door to a small space under the stairs, and walked inside the space. He returned a moment later, with a couple pieces of paper. Harry handed Lily one of them. Lily looked at it, and saw two stick figures. One had black hair and one had red hair.

"This is me?" Lily asked.

"No, that is my parents, I think," Harry said, "Uncle Vernon and Petunia said they're gone and never coming back."

Lily closed her eyes, and heard James curse under his breath. She looked at the other drawing. It was a picture of a big black dog. Lily smiled when she recognized the dog.

"And who is this?" Lily asked.

"I just know him as Pa-foot," Harry said.

Lily felt tears in her eyes and she looked back at James who was smiling fondly at Harry. Pa-foot had been one of Harry's first words.

"Harry, what is that room?" James asked.

"Where I sleep," Harry asked.

"Like a hide-out space?" James asked.

"Your bedroom?" Lily asked.

"Yah... bedroom," Harry said.

Lily closed her eyes.

"Who are you two?" Harry asked.

Lily opened her eyes and kneeled down to Harry.

"Harry," she said, "We're your Mum and Dad."

* * *

_A few minutes earlier…_  
_  
_Aletha applied the last of the tape to Meghan's nappy, and helped her put her shirt and bottoms back on.

"There," she said, "All better."

Aletha helped Meghan back into her stroller. She picked up the dirty nappy, and walked over to the rubbish bin, and threw the nappy away. She then took the bag from the bin and tied it. Then, as she was about to turn back to her daughter, she saw a photograph out of the corner of her eyes. She looked at it, and her eyes widened. She recognized three of the four people in this picture. She turned the picture around and read the inscription on the back.

_David, Rose, Gertrude and Hermione Granger – September, 1983__  
__  
_"Oh, Merlin, it is her," Aletha said, "Danger…"

She set the picture back on the nightstand and, with rubbish bag in hand, pushed Meghan's stroller out of the bedroom, and back to the living room, where Arabella was staring out the window.

"Mrs. Figg," Aletha said, "You said you had temporary guests…"

"Yes, two girls, they're sisters," Arabella said, turning back to Aletha, "Gertrude and Hermione Granger. They've been here ever since Halloween. Terrible tragedy in their family. Their parents were murdered…"

_Oh, my god, David and Rose are dead? _Aletha said, as tears came to her eyes.

"The Muggles, yes, the ones who got attacked by Death Eaters?" Aletha asked, "And the Dark Mark." Arabella nodded. "Mrs. Figg, tell me everything…"

_Lily and James may not be the only ones reuniting with somebody today…_

* * *

Remus Lupin was pacing back and forth when he heard a car drive up behind him. He turned just in time to see the car park in the Dursley's driveway. A heavy-set man stepped out of the car and stared at him with beady eyes…

"What are you doing, sir?" the man asked Remus, "Soliciting is illegal, you know."

"I am standing on the sidewalk, here," Remus said, "It is city property, I believe I have a right to stand here."

"Well, I'm not buying anything!" the man said.

"Lucky for both of us, I'm not selling anything," Remus said, "Nice to meet you, Mr…?"

"Dursley," the man said, "Vernon Dursley."

Remus bowed slightly. Vernon narrowed his eyes, harrumphed and walked toward his front door.

_Ten more minutes and I'm going in there, _Remus decided.

* * *

"Harry," Lily said, "We're your Mum and Dad."

"You can't be," Harry said, "Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia said my Mum and Dad were gone and not coming back. Just like Neenie's parents."

"Neenie?" Lily asked.

"Davie and Rosie," Harry said, "They died on just a few days ago, on Halloween…"

_The Muggles who were killed by Death Eaters? Harry knew them?__  
__  
_Lily was about to speak up when she heard a door open behind them.

"Petunia?" a voice said at the door, "You won't believe it. Mr. Grunning is sick. So I have to have that meeting tomorrow –"

The owner of the voice froze when he saw Lily and James.

"You!" Vernon growled, "What are you doing in my house? I thought you were –"

"Dead?" James asked, "Is that what you told Harry?"

"P-P-Petunia?!" Vernon screamed.

Near Lily, Harry whimpered.

"Vernon, you will keep your voice down," Lily said, as she stood up and faced the large man, "You will never, _ever, _raise your voice again in front of my son. Do you hear me?"

"Vernon?" Petunia said, as she and Albus appeared.

"P-Petunia, I thought –" Vernon stammered as he looked at James and Lily.

"My sister is alive, as you can see," Petunia said, "Isn't that wonderful?"

"I suppose this means you're taking your son then?" Vernon asked.

"Yes, of course we are," James said, "I wouldn't let him spend one more minute with you."

"Take him then," Vernon said, "Good riddance. I never wanted him here in the first place. Him and his _freakishness_! He's been nothing but an ungrateful brat and a – OOOINK!"

Petunia shrieked. Vernon Dursley currently appeared as a large hog, standing on the doormat. Surprisingly it was neither Lily, nor James, who turned him into the animal, but Albus.

"Dear me, my hand slipped, I do apologize, Mr. Dursley," Albus said.

_OINK!_

"I'll fix you right up and then we are all going to have a nice little chat in the living room," Albus said, "We're going to get to the bottom of this. Do you agree?"

Vernon grunted. A moment later he was a human again, on his hands and knees.

"Was that – magic?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry," Lily said.

"Uncle Vernon said magic didn't exist!" Harry said.

"DURSLEY!" James yelled.

"_Mimblewimble_," Vernon muttered.

* * *

_Five minutes, _Remus vowed, _Five minutes and -_

"Oh, bloody hell!" a voice said, "Neenie, you did not hear me say that, okay?"

Remus heard a little girl's giggles, and raised his eyebrows and turned around. A young woman and a little girl were kneeling next to a fallen sack of groceries.

"Oh, let me help you with that," Remus said, walking over to them.

"No, it's fine," the woman said.

She looked up at Remus and stood slowly.

"I married you last night," she whispered.

"_What?_" Remus asked.

Her eyes went very round. "Oh my Lord. Oh my Lord, I did _not_just say that out loud. I did _not_. I did _not_. I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." Remus said.

"Oh my Lord," she said, "I'm so sorry. What a way to start a conversation. Please, can we start over?"

"I'd love to," Remus said, looking more closely at her. She had quite a lot of curly brown hair, as did the little girl holding onto her pant leg and regarding him solemnly, though the effect was a little spoiled by the thumb in her mouth. The girl was adorable, he decided, and the woman rather lovely, in a bookish sort of way...

"I had a dream about you last night," the woman said, getting herself under control. "Even though, as far as I know, we have never met in the flesh. Am I right?"

Remus smiled. "I think I would remember it if I had met you before, Miss..."

"Danger Granger, is that you?" a rather familiar voice said nearby.

* * *

**If you paid attention, you'd know who that last voice is.**  
**  
The conclusion of the Reunion event takes place next chapter! Albus, Lily and James set things straight with Vernon and Petunia Dursley.**** Harry decides whether or not these two strangers are really who they say they are.**** Danger reu****nites with an old friend, and**** Remus and Danger contin****ue to chat.**

Much of the last conversation in this chapter is from Chapter 1 of "Living with Danger" by "whydoyouneedtoknow".


	10. Reunions, Part 2

**Chapter 10  
Reunions, Part 2**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.  
**  
****Author's Note: This chapter begins just a couple minutes before Remus' last PoV in the previous chapter began.**

* * *

"You're such a big girl for helping me, Neenie," Danger said, "Mum and Daddy would be very proud of you."

"Really?" Neenie asked.

Danger and Neenie Granger were walking down the sidewalk through Privet Drive as they made their way back to Arabella Figg's house. Neenie was currently holding a small sack that had the lightest, and least fragile things in it. She had insisted on carrying something. Danger was holding two other sacks.

"Yes," Danger said, "In fact, just for being a good girl over these past few days, tonight I'll make our favorite meal for dinner."

"Peanut butter pasta?" Neenie asked, a grin forming across her lips.

"Yes," Danger said.

The dish was really known as 'pasta with a peanut butter sauce', but when Neenie had started really putting full sentences together nearly two years ago, Danger was making the dish, and Neenie asked what it was. In the end, she called it peanut butter pasta, and it stuck. It was one of Danger's favorite meals, and it had turned into her sister's favorite as well.

_Neenie eats a lot of it, and when she eats a lot, she falls asleep quicker. If she falls asleep at a decent time tonight, I can go over my parents' will, and the deed of the house, and the important papers. And perhaps find out exactly when I can have a funeral for our parents. The sooner I get that done, the sooner I can think about selling our house and moving elsewhere. Perhaps closer to London. I'll be able to find a __good job out there, and there are nice schools for children who are Neenie's age -__  
__  
_Danger was lost in her thoughts, that she wasn't looking where she was going. The tip of one of Danger's shoes hit a protruding piece of sidewalk, and she dropped her bags with a great _crash!__  
__  
_"Oh, bloody hell!" she said as she kneeled down.

_I did not just swear in front of my sister, right? I did, didn't I?__  
__  
_"Neenie, you did not hear me say that, okay?" Danger asked.

Neenie giggled.

"Oh, let me help you with that," a voice said.

"No, it's fine," Danger grumbled.

_And now I am being rude to complete strangers! Such good lessons I'm teaching my sister! Better apologize…__  
__  
_She looked up and saw the good Samaritan who had offered his help. One look at him and she suddenly recognized him. _Oh my god, it's you. I married you last night.__  
__  
_"_What?" _the man asked.

_Crap! _ "Oh my Lord," Danger said, panicking, "Oh my Lord, I did _not _just say that out loud. I did _not_. I did _not_. I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." the man said.

"Oh my Lord," Danger said, "I'm so sorry. What a way to start a conversation. Please, can we start over?"

"I'd love to," the man said; he glanced at her then his eyes went downwards.

_Is he looking at my… oh, he's looking at Neenie.__  
__  
_Danger looked down at Neenie for a moment, and realized her sister was partially hiding behind her leg. She was also sucking her thumb _again.__  
__  
She used to do that whenever she met someone new. __I'm going to have to work on weaning her off that again. Bitter thumb, that's what Mum would always call – oh, right, I was talking to this man… the man from my dreams. I think I' better explain that before he starts thinking I'm a pervert. If this really is my prince, I don't want to scare him before… oh Lord, stop getting ahead of yourself Danger! You just met this man!__  
__  
_"I had a dream about you last night," she said, "Even though, as far as I know, we have never met in the flesh. Am I right?"

The man smiled, in a really adorable way, or rather that is what Danger thought anyway. "I think I would remember it if I had met you before, Miss..."

"Danger Granger, is that you?" a voice said nearby.

_I know that voice! But there is no way it could be…__  
__  
_Danger turned toward the direction of the voice and saw a woman on the sidewalk in front of Mrs. Figg's house. She was behind a stroller which had a little girl in it.

_Oh, Lord, is that really…__  
__  
_"Aletha?" Danger squeaked, "Aletha Freeman?"

Aletha nodded and hurried across the street as fast as her feet and the stroller would allow.

"It is you!" both Danger and Aletha said, as Aletha offered the stroller to the man, then hugged Danger. Neenie giggled, and Danger backed up.

"I have not seen you in – Lord it's been - what are you doing here?" Danger stammered.

"Kind of a long story," Aletha said, "Remus and I and our friends were at Mrs. Figg's house."

"You know Mrs. Figg?" Danger asked.

"Yeah," Aletha said.

Danger nodded and looked at the man. "Remus, right?"

"Yes," the man, Remus said.

Danger's heart sank as she asked the next question. "And you are… Aletha's… boyfriend? Husband?"

Remus and Aletha snickered then laughed.

"No!" Aletha said, "Oh Lord no, we're just friends. In fact we lost touch with each other for three years until just yesterday."

_There's still a chance he's single… yes!__  
__  
_"Oh," Danger said, calming her nerves, "I saw your little girl and thought – well, okay."

"I do believe we were at introductions, yes?" Remus asked, "I'm Remus Lupin…"

"Gertrude Granger," Danger said, "But call me Danger. It's my nickname, I answer to it faster than anything else."

"Well, if nicknames are easier, call me Moony," Remus said, "Danger, huh? That is a very interesting nickname. How did you earn that one."

"Ask Aletha," Danger said, "This little Hellcat came up with it."

"Gertrude Granger,  
"She's no stranger,  
"She's a danger  
"To us all," Aletha chanted, grinning.

"Age of eight,  
"She tried to skate,  
"And didn't wait  
"To take a fall."

As Remus snickered, Danger raised her eyebrows at Aletha. "I cannot _believe_ you remember that!"

"I made it up, didn't I?" Aletha countered. "And that is how Danger Granger got her name. She not only fell, she took down four or five of us with her – "

"And I've never put on roller skates since," Danger finished. "Or anything else with wheels or blades or things like that. I like my feet to stay where I put them." Danger gave a lopsided smile and bent down to the little girl. "Neenie, this is Aletha, one of my very best friends I have not seen in many, many years. And this is Mr. Moony." She straightened up. "My sister, Neenie."

"Hello, Neenie," Remus said, smiling at her. Neenie gave a tiny wave with the hand that wasn't partially in her mouth. "Your sister?"

"I know, it's a big age difference, everyone thinks she's mine, but no, definitely my sister," Danger said, just to clarify, "So, what, may I ask are you doing visiting Mrs. Figg?"

"Technically, we're not visiting Mrs. Figg," Aletha said, "We're visiting her neighbors across the street.

She nodded behind Remus, and Danger's eyes widened.

"You're visiting the Dursleys?" Danger asked, "You know them?"

"We kind of know their nephew," Aletha said, "His parents are here to pick him up."

"Harry?" Danger asked, her mind buzzing, "Wait, his parents? Harry told me his parents were… dead."

"Long story again," Aletha said.

"They're alive?" Danger asked.

"Yes," Remus said, "You know Harry?"

"I babysit him," Danger said, "Neenie and Harry play all the time, they're best friends. Harry's parents are really alive? Then why is he living with the Dursleys?"

Aletha and Remus looked at each other, frowning and shrugging, having silent conversation.

"It is hard to explain," Remus said, "We can try to explain some of it, and maybe you can explain to me why you said you married me last night."

"What?" Aletha chortled.

Danger blushed. "Yeah, I had a dream last night. It was my wedding, and Remus was the groom, and Aletha… you were my maid of honor, or bridesmaid, one of the two…"

* * *

As Danger was trying to explain her dream to Aletha and Remus, inside the Dursley's living room, it was rather silent. Albus Dumbledore sat in one of the two rocking chairs, while Lily and James Potter sat on one of the couches. Vernon and Petunia Dursley sat on the other couch. Harry Potter was currently sitting in the other rocking chair.

Aunt Petunia had always told Harry it was not a good idea to stare, but that is exactly what he was doing: staring at the young couple sitting on one of the couches. The woman had told him a few minutes prior that she was his Mum, and the man with her was his Dad, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had always told him his Mum and Dad were gone and never coming back. Harry looked at the man. He had glasses, just like Harry did, and his hair was really messy and scruffy…

_Just like mine__. Aunt Petunia could never comb it flat whenever guests like Aunt Marge came over.__  
__  
_"Before we begin," the old man with a long white beard said, "I believe Harry is itching to say something."

"Er… I'm not allowed to talk when there are guests in the house," Harry said, "I'm not allowed to be seen when there are guests in the house."

A noise came from the man who looked like Harry.

"You are free to talk now, young man," Albus said.

"I just – can I see more magic?" Harry asked.

"One more," Albus said."Do you like thunderstorms, Harry?"

Harry nodded.

Dumbledore waved the long stick he had used to turn Vernon into a pig. Suddenly, on the ceiling, a large grey cloud appeared, and rain started falling onto the carpet. Petunia cried out, then shrieked when a large crack of thunder was heard. Then the cloud and storm vanished, and the carpet looked as if there had been no rain.

"And then when we leave you can see more," Albus said.

"When we leave?" Harry asked, "I'm going somewhere?"

"You're coming with us," the red-haired woman said.

"I am?" Harry asked.

"If you want to," she said.

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked, in a small voice, "Are these really my Mum and Dad?"

"Yes, Harry," Petunia said.

"B-but you said they were gone and not coming back," Harry said.

"We are here, Harry," the woman said.

Harry looked at the man and woman. Could they really be his Mum and Dad?

* * *

Albus Dumbledore stored his wand back in his pocket.

"Can you hold off your questions, until we are finished here, Harry?" he asked, "Once we leave here, you can ask questions to your heart's content."

Harry stared at him for a moment, then looked back at his parents. He nodded.

Dumbledore smiled, though his smile immediately vanished when he turned to the Dursleys.

"Three years ago," he said, "You found a baby boy, young Harry here, on your doorstep. With him, was a letter addressed to you, Petunia. In the letter, I expressed the hope that you would care for him as though he were your own. You did not do as I asked. You have never treated Harry as a son. As far as I can tell, he has known nothing but neglect and often cruelty at your hands."

Lily's nostrils flared, and James looked murderous. Dumbledore murmured an incantation under his breath, and the Potters' expressions lightened, the affects of a minor Calming Charm. He used the same on the Dursleys as well. Albus had been fascinated by Lily's use of a modified reverse-silencing charm, apparently one of Severus Snape's own inventions, and while he was wanting to use it himself, he thought it best that Harry heard some of this for his own good.

"I do not know what you are talking about," Petunia said.

"You do not remember my letter?" Albus asked.

"I do remember it yes," Petunia said, "But I do not remember a few things. I don't remember you being completely honest or generous with me in your letter. My sister and her… husband… are alive and well. _You _told me they were dead. For three years, I thought my sister was dead. But here she sits. You also seemed to think we would just accept Harry into our family – as our own son, yes? You never gave us any funding to help raise him. You _never _came by this house before today to talk with us face-to-face. You talk to me about neglecting the boy. Where were my sister and her husband? Where were you? If they, or you, could take care of Harry, why didn't you? That, you old coot, is neglect in my opinion."

"You, my dear Petunia," Albus said, "pose a good argument."

"Ha!" Vernon laughed, while James and Lily looked rather shocked.

"However, you were wrong in some parts of that argument," Albus said. "Until this most recent Halloween, I too thought Lily and James were dead. Then they appeared, returned, safe and sound. Tell me Petunia, do you notice something peculiar about your sister?"

"At first I thought she looked younger than I imagined," Petunia said, "But good make-up will do that to you."

"Biologically," Albus said, "Lily is still twenty-one years old, the same day she was when she vanished that Halloween day three years ago."

"That is preposterous!" Petunia scoffed.

"I'm afraid I cannot explain it to you in a way you'd understand," Albus said, "All I can tell you is I was not lying when I wrote to you and told you she was dead – I thought she was."

Albus looked at Harry, who looked very confused at the moment.

_How are we ever going to explain to him what really happened? Can we explain – or should we just wait until he is old enough to understand.__  
__  
_"You were correct that I could have given you a bit of charity for your good deeds," Albus said, "But I ask you to consider this. Do you not believe that I was testing you?"

"Testing us?" Petunia asked.

"If you had treated Harry better these past three years," Albus said, "If you did not neglect him, if you cared for him better, do you not believe I wouldn't have given you something as a reward for your acts of kindness? Instead you give him clothes that are hand-me-downs and at least twice his size."

"I told you it was cost-cutting measures!" Petunia hissed.

"Cost-cutting measures?" Lily asked, "Petunia, this house has four bedrooms! Now I can imagine you and your husband wanting a few nights of separation from each other –"

"Excuse me?" Petunia asked, as James snickered.

"And even if you used one of the extra bedrooms, that still left one more!" Lily continued, "Instead you put him in cupboard under your stairs that is meant for storage! Do not tell me that is cost-cutting measures! And I suppose you think making Harry miss, on average, five meals a week, is cost-cutting measures? I am just talking about neglect, because I'm not even going to get into the possibilities of physical abuse. You think Albus turning your husband into a hog was bad? James and I could do a lot worse to you. Tell me now, Petunia, when I look over my son tonight, am I going to find bruises?"

"He's a four-year old little boy," Petunia said, "He trips and falls a lot. He gets rough with his cousin, and Dudley's bigger than him. They wrestle."

"Harry?" Lily asked.

"I run fast, but Dudley catches me sometimes and pushes me down and makes me eat dirt," Harry said, "He calls it 'Harry hunting'."

One of Lily's eyes twitched. "And just who did that boy learn to play rough from?"

"I think we already know that answer," Albus said, "And perhaps answers to some of the more unsaid questions we have yet to ask. I do believe we're done here. Harry, do you want to leave this place for good?"

Harry looked at his parents for a moment, then frowned.

"What about Danger and Neenie?" Harry asked, "My friends."

"Harry, if we are talking about the same two girls," Albus said, "I do believe I know them. I'll make sure you get to see them. In fact, I do believe they are currently staying at Mrs. Figg's house."

"Arabella Figg?" Petunia asked. "You know her?"

"Indeed," Albus said.

"She – she – she's one of you?!" Vernon asked.

"Surely you did not think I would put Harry here without someone watching over him," Albus said, then looked at Harry, ignoring Vernon's splutters. "What do you say, young man?"

"I'll go with you," Harry said.

"Good," Albus said, smiling at Lily and James when he noticed they looked rather emotional, "Go get your things, we'll be leaving shortly."

"If you don't have too many belongings, do not worry," Lily said, "We'll get you more."

Harry smiled, jumped up and ran out of the room.

"So…" James said, looking at Vernon and Petunia, "I wonder what we should do with the two of you…"

* * *

"A wolf?" Remus asked, "Exactly how big of a wolf…?"

For the past few minutes, Remus had been listening to Danger's rather detailed versions of dreams. The "wedding" she had been a part of (and apparently so had he, Aletha, Neenie, Meghan, and some others Remus was sure he recognized from the details) sounded as if it had taken place in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. She had described it so intricately, but Remus was almost sure Danger was a Muggle.

Now she was talking about another dream, where she mentioned seeing a wolf…

"Huge!" Danger said, "It was in this basement-like room, and there was a steel door, and one lantern on a wall. And it had blue eyes… erm… kind of like yours."

Remus averted his eyes to Aletha, who looked shocked.

"Excuse us for just one second, Danger," she said, "Can you watch my daughter? Thanks!"

She dragged Remus a few feet away.

"Remus, I don't know about you," she whispered, "But she was describing some very detailed things in that wedding dream. Our friends, the Great Hall at school!"

"She described the basement I go in to transform every full moon," Remus said.

"Remus, it was her parents who were murdered," Aletha whispered, "The Dark Mark –"

"Could your friend be a witch?" Remus asked.

"Er… I'd know it," Aletha said, "She'd know it. She would have gone to Hogwarts with us."

"Unless she's didn't get her magic until late," Remus said.

"Latent magic," Aletha said, "Usually comes when a great shock has happened in their life."

"If she saw her parents dead," Remus said, "Then –"

"That would do it," Aletha said, "Danger, a witch?"

"It's a theory," Remus said, "And if she is, she's not just a witch. She could be a True Dreamer."

"They're supposed to be extremely rare!" Aletha said.

"Latent magic brings on other abilities," Remus said, "Call it magic apologizing for not showing up sooner, so it gives the person extra magic."

"There would be an easy way to tell," Aletha said, "but we can't do it here, out in the open."

"How do you feel about catching up with your old friend after we get done here?" Remus asked, with a smile.

"And introducing her to our friends?" Aletha suggested, "Well, she knows Harry apparently, I'm sure she'd want to meet his parents."

"Sounds good," Remus said.

Remus and Aletha walked back over to Danger.

"Danger, are you doing anything tonight," Aletha asked.

"Making dinner, hanging with Neenie, working on personal stuff," Danger said, then smiled as she looked from Aletha to Remus, "I could use some company."

Remus raised an eyebrow. _Was she flirting just now? Naah…__  
__  
_Just then the front door of Four Privet Drive opened. Albus walked out, followed by James, Lily and…

"Harry!" Neenie squealed.

Remus' eyes widened as he looked at the little boy.

_My goodness, he is James in miniature. Quite skinny… I have a feeling I'm not going to like what I'm about to find out from James and Lily about Harry's upbringing._

Danger nudged Neenie forward, and she ran past Albus and over to Harry, and hugged him.

"Does she do that a lot?" Aletha asked, amused.

"She hasn't seen him in over a week," Danger said, "They're best friends, and they act like brother and sister. She's been asking about him ever since –"

"Ever since your parents died?" Aletha asked; Danger raised her eyebrows at Aletha, "Mrs. Figg told me. Danger, I'm so sorry. Dave and Rose were – were like second parents to me."

Danger nodded, then she turned and raised her eyebrows.

"This is going to sound strange, but I watched that man die," she said, "And I am almost sure the man who killed him was going to kill her. I also remember the older man in my dream, and they were all at my wedding dream."

Remus looked at Aletha, and she frowned.

"Danger, I think we need to talk," she said.

Danger looked from Aletha to Remus, then to James, Lily, Neenie and Harry. Then she looked back at Remus.

"Anyone up for lunch at my place?" she asked.

* * *

**Whew! That is the conclusion of the two Reunion chapters! No, Petunia and Vernon did not get cursed, but James will comment on a curse he would have LIKED to use next chapter.**  
**  
****Also n****ext chapter, Danger and everyone else gets some information overload! ****Also possibly some early signs of Remus/Danger!****  
****  
****Aletha's poem about Danger, and the following couple of sentences are from "Living with Danger" by "whydoyouneedtoknow".**


	11. Questions and Answers

**Chapter 11  
Questions and Answers**

**Disclaimer: **Gertrude "Danger" Granger, Aletha Freeman, Meghan Black and various other characters, nicknames, dialogue, prophecy styles, et cetera, you may not recognize belong to whydoyouneedtoknow's Dangerverse with direct permission from the author to use them. Most other characters belong to JK Rowling. Only plot belongs to me.  
**  
Author's Note: ****This is another one of those reader-adored long chapters.**

* * *

"So you're my Mum?" Harry asked Lily.

"Yes, sweetheart, I am," Lily said, smiling.

It had been half-an-hour since they left Number Four Privet Drive. Since then, the large group had split off. Aletha, Meghan, Danger and Neenie, after packing up the few things Danger and Neenie had brought over to Mrs. Figg's house, they had gone back to Danger's house, where the rest of the group, including Albus, would join them shortly for conversation and an early lunch.

Lily, James, Harry, Remus, and Albus had returned to Mrs. Figg's house, where Albus Floo-called Madam Pomfrey, and asked if she could come to Mrs. Figg's house. After some debate and thought, the nurse accepted. Now Albus, Madam Pomfrey, Lily and Harry were sitting in Mrs. Figg's spare bedroom. Harry was on the bed, nearly naked except for underwear, though they were a bit big for him. Madam Pomfrey was looking him over, while Lily and Albus stood back, watching over the scene.

Harry was bored, and had decided to ask questions.

"Can you do magic?" he asked.

"Yes, I can," Lily said.

"Can I do magic?" Harry asked.

"Er," Lily said, "Let's leave that one for later."

"Why did I live with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked, "They said I lived with them because you were gone, but you're not gone…"

_You have to ask the hard questions, don't you, Harry?_Lily thought with a sigh.

"How about we leave these questions until later?" she suggested, "And let Madam Pomfrey look over you?"

"That old man there said I could ask all the questions I wanted," Harry said.

_Well, he got me there. Merlin, he takes after James! _

"Harry, it is not nice to call someone old," Lily said, smiling, "Call him Professor Dumbledore."

"Pro… proof…" Harry attempted.

"Can you call me Albus?" Albus asked.

Harry nodded. "Sorry I said you're old, Albus."

"I am old," Albus said, his eyes twinkling, "I am a little over one-hundred and forty."

"That's old!" Harry gasped.

Lily giggled. _Definitely like James. I should have known… definite makings of a future Marauder. I'd say unless we do something about that early on, but James, possibly Remus, and definitely Sirius if – when we get him out of Azkaban, will all have something to say about that. Maybe the little one inside me can take after me… oh, Merlin, when am I going to tell everyone about that? Seems like years since I found out, and it hasn't even been twenty-four hours!  
_  
A sad sigh from Madam Pomfrey broke Lily away from her thoughts. The nurse walked over to Lily and Albus, with a grave look on her face.

"The signs of neglect and cruelty are evident," she said, "His current weight is that of a child at least a year younger than him. I saw faded bruises, possibly gripping-hands formations on his arms and shoulders, as if he was forcibly dragged by somebody. There are other bruises, but most are common with little children his age falling. His glasses, as you might have seen, were taped together, and they're rather cheap. I'm surprised he can see with them. And…"

She frowned, wrung her hands together nervously and looked away for a moment.

"Yes, Poppy?" Albus asked.

"I did an X-Ray charm to check his bones," Pomfrey said, looking back at Lily, "He shows signs of a former, possibly recent, broken arm and wrist. Possibly left alone for a period of time before they were treated properly."

Lily's eyes welled up with tears. She looked away from Harry, so he wouldn't see her upset.

"Albus, Poppy, could you watch Harry for a few minutes?" she asked, "I must speak with James."

"Of course, Mrs. Potter," Pomfrey said.

"I'll be back soon, sweetheart," Lily said to Harry.

Harry smiled, and Lily blinked back tears and walked out of the room.

* * *

James, Remus and Mrs. Figg were currently in Mrs. Figg's back yard, waiting for word on Harry's condition, and in the middle of a discussion. Remus and Mrs. Figg were sitting at a small table, and James was pacing back and forth near them, as he had been doing for the past ten minutes.

"I am so angry!" James growled, "I swear if I had stayed in that house one more minute –"

"You'd what?" Remus asked, "Kill them?"

"No," James scoffed, and Remus looked relieved, "But only because death would be sweet relief for them. I was thinking more on the grounds of… Remus, do you recall reading about the Curse of the Righteous?"

"One of the Darkest Curses imaginable," Remus said. "It makes the victim's life a living hell. Every good thing they'd want or wish for, it would turn on them and give them the complete opposite. You're joking, James, you thought about using that? You do know what would have happened if they didn't deserve it?"

"Oh, they deserve it, Moony," James growled, "If anyone deserves it –"

James was interrupted by the slamming of Mrs. Figg's back door. He turned and saw Lily storming toward them in a huff.

"Mrs. Figg, do you have anything you want destroyed?" she asked.

"Well, let's see," Mrs. Figg said, "That scarecrow by the garden has been getting on my nerves –"

A moment later, said scarecrow was up in flames.

"That bad?" Remus asked, as he doused the scarecrow with an Aguamenti Charm.

"Harry's severely underweight," Lily said, "He shows signs of someone dragging him forcedly through the house, bruises on his arms and shoulders, and elsewhere, though those could be blamed for childhood clumsiness. And there are also signs of –"

Lily broke down in tears and James walked over to her and embraced her.

"As far as I can tell," Lily said, into James' shoulder, "he broke an arm and wrist recently, and they didn't immediately take him to the emergency room."

"Think they don't deserve it now, Moony?" James asked, "You're welcome to come along. It's a two-person curse. Though, it usually takes a man and a woman."

"I'm not cursing anyone, Prongs," Remus insisted.

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked, as she backed away and looked from Remus to James.

"James wants to do the Curse of the Righteous on your dear sister," Remus said.

"As much as that sounds like a good idea," Lily said, "We're not doing it."

"Why the hell not, Lily?" James demanded, "After what they did to Harry, you would not perform the curse –?"

"They may deserve something for what they did to Harry," Lily said, "But they are _Muggles, _James."

"Albus didn't care about that when he turned Dursley into a hog!" James snorted.

"He did _what_?" Remus asked.

"You should have seen it, Moony," James said, grinning, "It was priceless –"

"_James!_" Lily hissed, and James turned back to her, "_No_. We are already going to have enough trouble as it is, between hiding _again, _and all this business we're planning with Sirius, and not to mention –" she cleared her throat and shook her head. "After today, we'll have nothing to do with my sister or her family. Harry never has to see them again, okay? It is better we just move on."

James groaned under his breath. He was outmatched, two-to-one, and Aletha probably wouldn't want anything to do with it either.

"Fine," he said, "Whatever you want."

"Good," Lily said, "Harry's already going to have a hard time. I predict it is going to be rather rough for him in the near future, but we are his parents, and we'll help him get through it. Now, come on… we're due to have lunch with Aletha's friend shortly. What's her name, Remus?"

"Gertrude Granger," Remus said, "But everyone calls her Danger."

"It's her parents that were murdered by Death Eaters on Halloween, yes?" James, asked, and when Remus nodded sadly, "So she's Muggle?"

"No," Albus' voice said, as he appeared at the door – Harry was still inside with Madam Pomfrey, "Her sister was born a Muggleborn witch. Danger is also a Muggleborn witch however she obtained her magic just this past Halloween."

"I was right then," Remus said, "Latent magic. Albus, would you say she has additional abilities then, given she is an – err – victim of latent magic?"

"It is very probable," Albus said, "Some witches and wizards like her have anywhere from one to three additional abilities – ranging from Metamorphmagic to prophesying, with many in between. Why do you ask?"

"Apparently she's a True Dreamer," Remus said, "In fact, according to her, all of us present, aside from Mrs. Figg, have had starring roles in her recent dreams."

"Us?" Lily asked, "Did she say what she dreamed about?"

Remus shrugged. "She dreamed of me in my wolf-form on Thursday, apparently. Night of the full moon. She saw a large wolf in a stone basement with a steel door."

"True Dreamers have the ability to dream of the past, present and future," Albus said, "However, not all of her dreams of the future are cemented in stone. Futures can change. She could have seen many things."

"She said she watched James die," Remus said.

James raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"She pointed at you and said 'I saw that man die'," Remus said.

"Well, how about we go meet our new friend?" James asked. "I think I'd like to know exactly what she saw."

* * *

Meanwhile, Danger and Aletha were in the kitchen of the Granger house. They were currently working together on the early preparations of a peanut butter pasta dish. Danger had decided it would be better for lunch, now that there were guests coming over. Neenie and Meghan were playing in a playpen on the other side of the room.

_Neenie hasn't been in a playpen since she was two. But when I retrieved it for Meghan, she joined the little girl like she had been in it yesterday. I do believe she has made another friend.  
_  
"Ma!" Meghan said, from the playpen.

"Mummy's right here, sweetie, see?" Aletha said, waving to Meghan, "Play with Neenie, okay?" Aletha smiled at her daughter, and looked back at Danger. "She must adore Neenie already. She doesn't say much yet, a few words, one or two at a time. But she is so shy around others, especially children, that she never says much to them."

"Neenie's very easy to get along with," Danger said, smiling, "She and Harry were fast friends, and Harry hadn't even been two years old then…"

_Oh bother. It just hit me. Harry's leaving Privet Drive today. Neenie won't be very happy about that. Although maybe we can keep in touch, especially since I'm reuniting with Aletha, and she seems good friends with Harry's parents. Perhaps I should get to know them. Wouldn't mind getting to know Remus as well…  
_  
"So who is Meghan's father?" Danger asked.

"His name is Sirius Black," Aletha said, "Also known as the love of my life, among other things."

"Sirius," Danger said, as her mind went back to a man in a dream, "He wouldn't have long black hair, grey eyes, and a ruggedly handsome, if not a rebellious look about him?"

"You've met him?" Aletha asked, "Wait – your dreams?"

"He was one of Remus' best men in the wedding dream," Danger said, "He was also in another dream I had, but I'd rather not tell it more than once. And at least three of your friends here today also co-starred in that dream. I think they'd like to hear it."

"The dream where you saw Harry's father die," Aletha said; it was not a question.

"Right," Danger said, then raised her eyebrows, "Why are you so interested in my dreams? Even if my wedding dream was real, Neenie, Harry, and who I believe to be Meghan were all in their teens. That's a long time to wait and it isn't like I'm really going to –"

Danger stopped talking when Aletha looked at her.

"Wait for what?" Aletha asked.

"Nothing," Danger said, "Never mind…"

"Gertrude 'Danger' Granger, do you fancy Remus?" Aletha asked, with a grin.

"What?!" Danger laughed. "No, I just met him!"

_Oh my goodness, am I that obvious? If I am, then I need to work on that by the time Remus comes over._

"Love at first sight exists, you know," Aletha said, "It didn't happen to me, of course. I hated Sirius for six years."

"Okay, he's quite handsome," Danger admitted, "Almost too handsome, he probably is at the very least seeing somebody, if not married –"

"Very nice way of asking without making it _too _obvious," Aletha said, sarcastically; Danger scoffed, and Aletha added "He's single, by the way."

"Him?" Danger asked, "Nobody has claimed him yet?"

"He's shy," Aletha said, "He has a – well – let's say – his personality clashes with most girls."

"He seems very nice to me," Danger said.

"Oh, he is a perfect gentleman," Aletha said, "He's not like a pervert, or a creep, or anything. Actually he's the most _sane_one out of his friends. But he – well – it's not my secret to tell."

"That's rather mysterious," Danger said, grinning.

"If you want to chase him, go for it," Aletha said, "He's just very shy, but he's worth it."

"You sound like you fancied him at one point," Danger said, smiling mischievously.

"Ha!" Aletha laughed, "No. Not counting the disagreements we've had recently, and are only just getting over them, I've only ever seen Remus as a friend. Sirius is the one for me."

"So where is this love of your life?" Danger asked.

"Prison," Aletha said, with the same tone as if she was discussing the weather.

"What?!" Danger yelped.

"He's completely innocent of his crimes," Aletha said, "I know that for a fact. In fact, if everything works out, by this time next month, he'll be back in my arms."

"Bet he'll love to see you again," Danger said, "And Meghan."

"He doesn't know about her," Aletha said, as she looked back at her daughter, "I found out I was pregnant a few weeks after he was arrested."

"Oh my," Danger said, "What is this crime he was arrested for?"

Aletha cringed visibly. "We'll save that one for this long discussion we're going to have with my friends."

Danger raised her eyebrows. Her mind went back to the dreams she had that included Sirius. Including one where he was on a street that exploded. And something to do with a rat…

_Something tells me I'm in for an interesting conversation…_

* * *

Harry was currently hand-in-hand with his mother, as they followed James, Remus and Aletha up the street toward the Granger house.

"Mum," Harry said, testing it out for the first time, "Can I ask a question?"

"Another one?" Lily asked.

Harry nodded. "Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon said you were gone and not coming back. They said that you died. But you're here. Does that mean that Neenie's parents will come back?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Harry," Lily said, "Me and your Dad are here because, well… it is kind of hard to explain. We didn't die, you see. We were just… gone for three years."

"But Davie and Rosie did," Harry said, frowning.

"Yeah," Lily said.

"Neenie's not going to be happy," Harry said.

"I'm sure her sister will help her," Lily said.

"Are we going away from here?" Harry asked, "And not coming back?"

"If you want to, yeah," Lily said.

"I still want to see Danger and Neenie," Harry said.

"I think we can work that out," Lily said.

"Okay," Harry said.

A couple minutes later, the small group arrived at the front door of the Granger home. When Albus knocked on the door, it opened a moment later, and Danger stood there.

"Come on in," she said, "Lunch is almost ready. You can go in the sitting room. I think there is enough room for everyone."

"Danger!" Harry said, hugging her around the legs, when he approached her.

"Hi, Greeneyes," Danger said, "We're going to have one of your favorites for lunch!"

"Peanut butter pasta?" Harry asked, "Petunia never makes that!"

"That is because I've never given her the recipe," Danger said, "And yes, that is exactly what we're having. Now go on. Neenie is playing with Meghan in the sitting room. I'm sure she wants to see you."

Harry nodded energetically, and ran inside toward the sitting room, as his parents introduced themselves to Danger.

* * *

Ten minutes later, almost everyone was gathered in the sitting room with a plate of pasta and salad. Harry and Neenie were eating in the kitchen, in full view of Lily and Danger, and Meghan was in Neenie's old high-chair situated near Aletha. Danger was getting acquainted with everyone.

"- and last but most certainly not least," Albus said, "I'm Albus, though we met briefly on Halloween night."

"I remember," Danger said, with a frown.

Albus looked at everyone else. "I was here checking up on Harry. I had gotten news of trouble in the area, and was most relieved to find that it was not at Harry's house. I mean no offense by that, Miss Granger. I feel a deep regret for your loss."

"Thank you, sir," Danger said, "I'm not sure how much you could have done beforehand."

"I'm afraid I could have done a lot more to prevent the events of that night from ever happening," Albus said.

"Really?" Danger asked.

"Yes," Albus said, "You recall seeing that odd shape in lights just before you found your parents?"

"I thought it was a Halloween firework of some kind," Danger said.

Albus looked around at the other adults, all of whom looked gravely into their meals.

"It was not," he said, his attention back on Danger, "You would most likely refer to it as a gang sign."

"Never seen a gang sign like that," Danger said, with a snort, "It was almost as if it was done with –" Danger inhaled and shook her head. "But that would be insane. Unless – but no -"

"Indulge us, Miss Granger?" Albus asked.

"This is going to sound insane," Danger said, "But… does magic exist, sir? I dreamed of magic. Of impossible things that couldn't be done without magic. I dreamed of -" She paused and her eyes went in Remus' direction, then James and Lily's, "—but they're here in front of me. And my parents – the looks on their faces –"

"Like they were frightened to death," Albus said.

"Yes, sir," Danger said.

"What I am about to tell you, Miss Granger," Albus said, "Over half of the world's population does not know. There have been extreme measures gone to keep it a secret. You must not tell anyone unless they mention it first."

"Okay," Danger said.

"Magic exists," Albus said, "True magic… witches, wizards, charms, spells, hexes, and many, many other things you could only imagine in your dizziest day-dreams and fantasy stories… exist."

"Oh, thank God," Danger breathed. "There was no other explanation." She cleared her throat. "So… what? All of you here are… witches and wizards?"

"Yes," Albus said, "You may not believe it, but so are you, and…" Albus looked toward Harry and Neenie, both of whom were lost in their own little conversation and oblivious to the discussion in the sitting room, "So are those two dear children in your kitchen."

"M-me?" Danger asked, "Neenie? Sir, I am nearly twenty-five years old. Surely, you think I would have known before now?"

"You are a very special case, Danger," Albus said, "You have what we call a case of latent magic. It comes when a great shock has come to someone. Not just everyone, but those who have magic deep in their soul."

"But my parents, none of my family are - were witches or wizards," Danger said, "My sister – maybe."

"You and your sister are what we call Muggleborn witches," Albus said, "Muggles are what we refer to non-magic folk as. Lily and Aletha are also Muggleborn."

Danger looked at Aletha, then Lily.

"I discovered it on my eleventh birthday," Aletha said, "The school where Albus is Headmaster at, where we all went to learn magic, one of the Professors there came and told me and my parents I was a witch."

"The same would have happened with Hermione," Albus said, "had these events never occurred. Her name has been in a special book at my school ever since she was born, as has Harry's, young Meghan's, and everyone in this room – aside from you, Miss Granger."

"Why me?" Danger asked, "Why now?"

"Sometimes these things happen," Albus said. "As for how yours was unlocked, you discovered your parents' bodies. A great shock."

"Were my parents killed by… one of your kind?" Danger asked.

"I'm afraid so," Albus said, and Danger inhaled.

"Was it a man with a thin, almost skeletal body and red eyes?" she asked.

Albus raised his eyebrows and looked around at Aletha, James, Lily and Remus, whose eyes were all wide.

"I very much hope not," Albus said, as he turned back to Danger, "He disappeared three years ago Halloween. I do fear he will return, but I do hope he has not returned _this soon._Tell me, how do you know of his appearance?"

_I have a feeling I know this answer, of course. It just seems the easiest way to get her to talk about her dreams._

"I-I dreamed of him," Danger stammered, "H-he appeared twice in my dream. I also saw you, sir, and James and Lily. It was during the first of these kinds of dreams I had, when I collapsed after seeing my parents…"

"Can you tell us about these dreams?" Albus asked.

Danger nodded. "The first part, I saw you, and James and Lily. You were in a house, talking about someone needing to keep a secret?"

"A Secret-Keeper," Albus said.

"Yes," Danger said, "And then before you left the house, you -"

Danger's eyes traveled and pointed her finger at something in Albus' direction. Albus found that part of his wand was sticking out of his Muggle-style pants.

"My wand?" Albus asked.

"Wand, okay," Danger said, "You pointed your wand at James and Lily, and said something I couldn't hear, and then I saw a white flash. And I saw James and Lily again, but this time they were with a man – Aletha told me earlier his name was Sirius. James asked him to be the Secret Keeper, but he refused."

"He said he was too obvious of a choice," James said.

"Exactly," Danger said, "Then it showed you and Lily, and another person. He was kind of short and mousy-haired? He stammered a lot."

"Peter," James muttered, and Lily and Remus frowned, "Wormtail."

"Yes!" Danger said, "I heard both of those names. He agreed to be your Secret-Keeper. And then… I saw Peter again. He was in this really dark room. And that pale, red-eyed man was there. "Peter told this man the plan had worked. He did what the man wanted him to do."

Albus looked at James, Lily, Remus and Aletha, all of whom had different expressions on their faces – anger, shock, sadness.

"Then I was back in the house," Danger said, "And I saw James again. I heard your voice, Lily, asking him to take something from the oven."

"Pork chops?" James asked, as a frown crossed his face; Albus realized James knew what Danger was about to say.

"Yeah," Danger said, frowning, "And you moved into the hallway, and the door burst open, and that pale man stood there with his – his wand. You warned Lily, told her to run with Harry. And the man said something, and a green light appeared, and James, you fell. The man walked by you, and a golden light appeared soon after, and your body vanished."

"I was right," Albus whispered, "That is how the spell worked."

"Then the scene changed," Danger continued, as if Albus hadn't spoken, "And I was standing in a road. Peter was there. People were around on the sides of the road. Then Sirius came. Wormtail yelled at Sirius, he said something like… 'James and Lily, you betrayed them!' and Sirius called him a liar. Then… Peter cut off his finger, and said a spell."

"He cut off his finger?" Remus asked, as his face glowed in realization.

"Yes," Danger said, "Next thing, I knew, the street exploded. A huge hole, bodies everywhere. Then Peter vanished, only his clothes were left, and next thing I saw was a rat running away toward a sewer. Last thing I remember, is Sirius screaming and crying. Last thing he said was… your name Aletha."

Albus sat there, stunned, as he looked around at everyone. Aletha had tears rolling down her face. Lily looked on the verge of tears. Remus and James looked murderous.

"Wormtail is alive," James said.

"What?" Danger asked, "Are you saying that… what I dreamed is real?"

"We can be sure of four of those events happening," Albus said, "And there are all kinds of rumors of that last event happening, only… the stories are so mixed up."

"Sirius," Aletha sniffled, "that last scene you described, Danger, that is partially what Sirius was framed for. For the murders of those Muggles and Peter."

"Except Peter's alive," Remus said, "Peter was the rat."

"Excuse me? Did you just say Peter's a rat?" Danger asked.

"In more ways than one," James said, a light grin of wry humor on his face, "He's a wizard that can turn into an animal, an Animagus."

"So you're saying everything in that dream happened in the past?" Danger asked.

"Roughly in the span of eleven months," Albus said, "Three years ago."

"Then - that wolf?" Danger asked, "The wedding?"

"The wolf was probably something happening at that current time," Albus said, with a glance at Remus, who was looking at his meal, "The wedding… who knows? Possibly in the future, possibly just a normal dream. True Dreamers, like yourself -" Danger's eyebrows raised at the term, "— can see the future in their dreams – only… futures can change. They are not set on a solid path. Any number of those people you saw could be dead by the time that happened, if it happens."

"If that pale man came to kill you," Danger asked, looking at James and Lily, "then how are you alive? He looked like he could kill with a single – spell?"

"There is, indeed, one spell that can kill you immediately," Albus said, "The spell you saw me doing, protected James and Lily. It was rare and complicated, but it worked. They did not die, they only… time-traveled three years in the future."

Danger blinked, but did not ask him to explain.

"Harry survived because Lily jumped in front of the spell to save her son," Albus said, "She thought she'd die, but she did it anyway to save Harry. This protected Harry, a protection of old magic, of pure magic, from dying that night. The spell rebounded on its attacker, and Harry wound up with the scar on his forehead."

"Why would someone attack a baby?" Danger asked.

Albus sighed. "That is a much more complicated conversation. Quite personal as well. James and Lily know why, and if they wish to tell you sometime, they can. Just know that this man attacked Harry, because he felt threatened by him – or rather what he might do if he survived in the future."

"Oh, so he's another John Connor," Danger said.

Aletha snickered.

"Who?" James, Lily and Remus asked in unison.

"Very recent Muggle reference," Aletha said, "I'll explain later. In a way, you're correct Danger. Without the machines and nobody's time-traveled to the past in this case."

"Any more questions?" Albus asked.

Danger had many more questions, mostly to do with the wizarding world. This included creatures she only heard of in fantasy books, including vampires and werewolves (Remus looked uncomfortable, of course) during this part of the discussion. Danger was quite fascinated by the fact that the wizarding world existed around her, but she couldn't see it – Albus informed her that she probably would be able to see buildings such as the Leaky Cauldron now that she was knowledgeable of it.

The conversation was long and interesting enough that it lasted throughout lunch.

* * *

After lunch, Danger decided she needed to be a good hostess, and do the dishes, so this left Remus, James, Lily, Aletha and Albus in the sitting room, discussing things and watching the three children play in the middle of the floor. Albus was talking to Lily and Aletha, while Remus talked to James.

"Would you have ever guessed?" James asked, "What she described, I mean? That Peter could cut off his own finger, and escape that scene in his rat form?"

"Prongs for three years I never thought that Wormtail was capable of treachery," Remus said, "I thought it was Sirius who betrayed us. So, no, I didn't guess that. But now, well, it seems possible. They only found his finger, which now that we know what happened, it explains everything."

"Makes you wonder what else our new friend, Miss Granger, might dream of," James said.

Remus' eyes found Danger at the kitchen sink, as his mind went to the conversation about the wedding she had dreamed of. James and Lily knew nothing of this dream yet, because it hadn't come up. They were more focused on the werewolf dream, or the dream describing the past events…

"Go talk to her," James said.

"What?" Remus asked.

"It is easy to tell you fancy her, Moony," James asked, nodding to Danger.

"No," Remus scoffed.

"Face it, Moony, you're attracted to Danger," James said, then snickered, "In more ways than one now."

Remus rolled his eyes. He stood up and walked into the kitchen. Danger turned when she heard his footsteps and smiled.

"Hello, there," she said.

"I've – err – come to see if you need any help with those," Remus said.

"Have you ever done dishes by hand instead of by wand?" Danger asked.

"Miss Granger, I live in a Muggle neighborhood fifteen minutes from here," Remus said, "I am also a half-blood."

"Wait, I remember that one," Danger said, "One pureblood parent, one Muggleborn? Like Harry and Meghan?"

"In my case, Muggle," Remus said, "Which is even more rare. My mother never had a trace of magic so she always believed in doing the dishes by hand, even when my father could charm them clean with a few waves of his wand. He grew up doing that very thing, but that is most snooty purebloods for you. Some of them, aren't so snooty. James and Sirius are two of the non-snooty types. James' parents were also in that category. Sirius' on the other hand… the complete opposite of James' parents. Don't get me started on them, nor Sirius on that matter."

"Don't see how with Sirius," Danger said, "Since he's in prison."

"If everything goes well, he'll be out by the end of the month," Remus said.

"Aletha said that," Danger said, "How? I mean, okay, he's innocent. Will James and Lily make the high-and-mighty wizard types see he's innocent?"

"Er, no," Remus said, "Everyone besides those you see in this house, and a couple of other people, all believe they're dead. Including the people associated with that pale man from your dreams. If James and Lily reveal themselves without proper planning, those bad people will come after them, and Harry, and their friends, and it will be four years ago all over again."

"So James and Lily will – what? – disguise themselves?" Danger asked.

"Only on the rare occasion they'll venture into public," Remus said, "They're going into hiding."

"With Harry?" Danger asked, frowning.

"And myself, Aletha and Meghan," Remus said, "And hopefully Sirius."

"So Neenie and I," Danger said, "We won't see you – Harry –"

"If we go into hiding the way we're planning," Remus said, "No."

Danger frowned and focused back on the dishes in the sink.

"So, how is Sirius going to be out of prison?" Danger asked.

"Guess," Remus said.

"Well, it isn't like you're going to stage a prison break," Danger said, with a snort.

Remus raised his eyebrows, and Danger looked back at him.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

Remus grinned. "No, but one of my best friends is."

Danger stared for a moment then laughed. "He gets that all the time?"

"He does," Remus affirmed.

"You're going to stage a break-out?" Danger asked.

"He's innocent, he doesn't deserve to be in prison," Remus said, "Aletha and his friends miss him, and his daughter he doesn't know needs him. Yes, we're going to stage a break-out."

"But… how?" Danger asked, "You could get in trouble!"

"Oh, we'll get in trouble, if they figure out it is us," Remus said, "which is why we're going into hiding. However, the guards won't even know we're there. The guards are a special sort… they're not human. They're a creature you've never heard of, not even in books. Animals are immune to them."

"Oh, I see," Danger said, "You're like Peter – an Ani-whats-it-called?"

"Animagus, no, I'm not," Remus said, "But I'm close."

_Oh Merlin, can I really tell her? Can I really tell this woman whom I just met, no matter how attracted to her I may be, one of my deepest, darkest secrets? _Remus sighed. _Yes, yes, I think I really can._

"Danger," Remus said, "I'm a werewolf."

"Werewolf?" Danger asked.

"There wolf," Aletha said, behind them as she appeared in the kitchen, "There castle."

Danger snickered then sobered up. "No, really?"

"Yes, really," Remus said, "If you want to run away, if you want to kick me out of this house, away from you, and away from Neenie, you have my permission. I won't be mad at you."

"This is what you meant," Danger said, pointing to Aletha, "You said he had a secret, you said his personality clashed with most girls."

Remus blinked and shrugged. "She's right, and therefore, I can't hex her."

Aletha snickered. Danger made a gulping noise and turned back to the dishes.

"Give me the cue," Remus said, "I'll leave right this second."

"No," Danger said, then turned her head and looked at him, "Please don't."

"Don't?" Remus asked.

"I can see already you are no Lon Chaney-Wolf Man type monster," Danger said.

"I _am_a monster though, Danger," Remus said.

"This is what I meant by personality clashes," Aletha said, "He just can't see that - other than that one day a month - he's a gentle, kind-hearted loving creature."

"Thank you, Aletha," Remus said, annoyed.

"If you were a monster, Remus," Danger said, "You wouldn't be in this room having civilized conversation with me. You wouldn't have these friends who love you."

"You're not going to scare her away, Remus," Aletha said.

"Thank you, Aletha," Remus repeated, "You may go."

Aletha scoffed but retreated from the kitchen anyway.

"It was you," Danger said, as her eyes stared at Remus', "The wolf in the basement in my dream. The blue-eyed beauty."

"Beauty?" Remus asked, in disbelief.

Danger cleared her throat and returned to the dishes.

"I-I think I hear my friends calling," Remus said.

Danger nodded. Remus turned and walked toward the sitting room.

_I am _strongly_ attracted to that woman._

_And that's not good. For either of us._

* * *

Danger scrubbed a spot off the plate, and looked over her shoulder at Remus' retreating figure.

_I am _definitely _attracted to that man._

_And he admitted to me that he was a werewolf. I am someone he has only just met, not two hours ago, and he told me his deepest darkest secret. It probably took ages for him to tell his friends. Wow, is that an ego boost or what?!_

_A werewolf. I am strongly attracted to a werewolf._

_Well, Danger is my middle name._

_Or nickname rather._

* * *

**Chapter finished! Whew this chapter was a long one!**

**Sorry for those of you who wanted the Dursleys cursed. Lily's a bit of a goody-two-shoes, and if she wasn't involved, the curse might have happened. I understand it is her son these things happened to, but it is also her sister she still loves, even if the woman doesn't like her much.**

**Next chapter - some or all of this will possibly happen (or might be used in future chapters instead). Lily tells her secret she's been holding in, Harry has nightmares, a news-clipping leads to the gang discovering exactly where they're going to be hiding, and**** – if I decide enough time has passed by to make it plausible -**** Danger makes a decision ****that changes her and Hermione's lives forever! And much more!**

**Hope you liked this chapter!**

**Parts of this chapter - some of Remus and Danger's discussion near the end - come from "Living with Danger" by "whydoyouneedtoknow."  
****  
When I finished this chapter, it was December 31st, 2012, nearly nine-o-clock at evening, central US time, three hours from 2013, so Happy New Years everyone!**


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